I feel for you. I would express my concern with the dentist and refuse to have that hygienist again. You pay for that service and have the right to satisfaction.

Maybe she would be less brutal if she realized how much she hurt you. If it were me, I would request the other hygienist.

Polishing helps remove what the scaling doesn't. There have been times when my mouth was sore for a day or so but never for a week! Maybe drinking (and swishing) lots of water will help, or some numbing gel?

That's CRAZY! Sounds like she's going below the gums...periopockets. Which is NOT part of a regular cleaning. Yes...it's necessary to have your teeth cleaned. Simply ask for the other girl when you schedule your next appointment. Not a big deal for the office unless you complain.

Salt water, topical tanic acid or teething for babies salve...along with tylenol would help. Sorry you had to go through this!

I've been going to the same dentist for 25 years, and he must be a wonderful employer, because he has the same staff after all that time.

I've been using the same hygenist all that time. Once I had someone different and I didn't like her at all. It's on my card, and they know that Joan is my hygenist that I use.

I have sensitive teeth as well.....and they seem to get softer or something as I age. Anyway, once they used a salt water pressure washer on my teeth and I hated it. I asked them to go back to the little polisher and that's what they use on me. The salt-water thing was painful. (to me)

Same thing happened to me a few years ago when my dentist added a new hygienist. I had never experienced such horrible pain with a cleaning. She was really rough. I stopped her at one point and told her she was hurting me. I called the dentist's office and mentioned how much pain I was in and asked if it was possible to switch without her knowing. The office manager apologized for what happened and switched me to the other gal. I found out later that other patients had also complained about the hygienist's rough handling. She is still at the office, but without the torture.

I really think you should call and ask if you could see the other hygienist at your next appointment. I'd hate to see you wait in fear as your next appointment approaches.

We have a wonderful hygienist, but I have been to some bad ones. I would just tell the office that the hygienist that you had was just a little rough for your sensitive gums. When you get a good one, ask for her each time.

Hydrogen peroxide is helpful for the gums. Just swish a couple capfuls around in your mouth after brushing.

She's a nice woman so I really don't want to make waves. I also don't ever want to get my teeth cleaned again LOL. I think I'll give her at least one more chance. (I think that's what I told myself last time!)

She did ask if she was hurting me and although I didn't say no, I indicated she should go on figuring I'd tough it out. I was more concerned about my jaw getting sore and starting to lock up which happened last time and that was also very painful. I made sure to stretch out my mouth all day before my appt this time so it didn't happen again but I was focused on that the entire time.

And the pain isn't really a week old. It hurt right off, then I was okay for a few days but then they got really sore again.

I've always used peroxide on my gums. That just seems to make this worse right now. Warm salt water, any warm water seems to help the most. Rinsing with Listerine is like lighting my gums on fire.

That's not good. I agree with those who say you need to take steps to avoid a repeat experience--and you'll probably be saving others from experiencing it, too.

Are you sure you don't have an infection?

I have never had my teeth cleaned and had them be sore days later, and I've had mine cleaned every 6 months for decades. This doesn't seem right. Call the dentist's office today for sure. And tell them what you are experiencing and ask for guidance on what to do. Don't suffer in silence. It's their job to help you; they would want you to call if you are having trouble.

Do NOT give her one more chance. If she's too rough, you should not be having her do your teeth. I can tell you are a softie and don't want a confrontation, but you are paying for this (or your insurance), so you can have the service you prefer. When you call for your next appointment, just ask for one of the other hygienists. You won't hurt her feelings; she probably won't even know.

Go back to the dentist while your gums are still inflamed and let him see for himself.

I would immediately call the dentist's office and tell them about your gums. You could have an infection; if so, it needs to be treated right away, before it can do damage to your teeth.

And never, ever again use that hygienist. Inflammation a week after cleaning is NOT normal. While I understand you don't want to hurt her feelings, your health and comfort are more important than her feelings. Good luck and let us know what the dentist says.

You need to call the dentist today--as wanda and vala have said--if you wait it could get worse during the week and you might be stuck on the weekend with a big problem. Take care of this now, mid-week, so you can get back to him Thurs. or Fri. if you have further problems. Do as we say, Paula!! LOL! And let us know what happens.

Do not put up with it. Call the dentist and tell him your experience and request a check up to make sure you do not have a mouth infection. I too went thru this years ago but in my case the dentist did the cleaning and it was a nightmare. Then after I moved and got a hygenist, it took her two trips to clean my teeth because my gums are so sensitive. DO not wait, even if you have to walk in without an appointment.
Be honest and firm and request either another hygenist or???
I know what you are going thru and it is not fun, but if you take care of them now at 40 you will have your own teeth at 78 like mine. Yes polishing is necessary, it maked the mouth feel good, and makes your teeth a bit whiter.
Good luck
Marie

I would be more concerned about my feelings than hers. Just tell your dentist and have them switch you.....If she knows the reason, perhaps it will help her other patients.

I agree. And next time one asks if they're hurting you, tell the truth! She really did want to know and if you'd answered truthfully you may not be experiencing what you are now. I'm not blaming you, just encouraging you to be comfortable answering what's asked.

not to scare you but you need to get back to the dentist ASAP. in June 2005 i had my gums butchered by a hygenist i didn't normally go to, mine had left w/o notice. that weekend was 4th of July by that monday my neck had swelled up like i had mono and i went to the doc. luckily the doc immediately asked the right ?'s and determined it had to do w/ my teeth cleaning. took 10 days to finally get a good culture on my infection which turned out to be staph MRSA. i was deathly sick, so sick i was pretty much out of it, slept 20hrs a day for 6 wks and because it was MRSA the hospital did not want me until i needed IV treatment. the staph was on the instruments and got into my gums, blood stream and lymph nodes. needless to say i am psychotic about dental visits, i go now to a very high tech place that goes out of their way to make sure i am confident in their sanitation practices. even after regular cleanings (done w/ lasers) i use peridex solution on my gums, just in case. BTW i use a sonicare toothbrush, have for many, many yrs, and almost never ever need any scrapping for tarter.

go back to the dentist please and insist on getting a script for a bottle of peridex ~ liz

I agree with others that you need to see the dentist asap. You may very well have an infection.

First of all I would not go back there!
Try some anbesol on your gums, and do a warm salt water rinse several times a day.

Add me to the others! Go back and let the dentist see what has happened, take care of any possible infection (which it sounds to me like you have), and request a different hygenist for next time.

I am afraid of dentists after my childhood experiences, and my dentist knows this. In fact, the dentist that I started going to at 16 was told if he retired I would never go to another one! I was lucky enough to find a good one after he retired, but does that tell you how much I hate the dentist?! I went to her hygenist once, and asked for the dentist herself to do my cleanings from now on. It's never been a problem. Rose really wasn't that hard on my teeth and gums, but I wasn't happy, & the dentist understands why. It wasn't the hygenists fault in this case, just my very bad experiences as a young child.

Please go back to the dentist right away.

Tami

in the meantime take a new tea bag (any flavor) and place between the gum and cheek it might gag little but will soften up it should give you some relief.
There is a special place in you know where for people who hurt the mouth!!

I HOPE you find some relief, my heart goes out to you Paula !
I have my first appointment in years for tomorrow morning to have a deep cleaning done, I will have a nice, long talk with the girl before she even touches me after reading all you have been through !
(( Hope you feel better soon ))

I hope your gums feel better soon.

I used to be a hygienist. My instructor in clinic had a very heavy hand. She didn't mean to cause her patients pain, though, and I really don't think she knew she was being rough. After being under her care in clinic, I learned to use a lighter touch on my own patients. Having said that, sometimes, in certain patients, it is very difficult to do a thorough job without causing pain during the treatment. In those cases, I'd ask the patient if they would prefer that I use a local anesthetic during the treatment so they remained comfortable in the chair. So, if it hurts, do let her know.

If a hygienist is too afraid to cause pain, she may not actually do a good job for you, and the use of a local anesthetic is appropriate at that time.

But, no, your gums shouldn't be hurting you for so long after the appointment.

call the dentist, tell them about the gums, and go from there

I certainly hope you will heed the advice of these fine people and call your dentist. And at the very least, do not have a return visit to that hygienist.

Oh this happened to me last time but not to the degree that you had. I'm not going to the one I had last time around. If you have one you really like, just tell them that's the one you want. The woman I had seemed very nice but she's not a friend and I'm not worried about hurting her feelings. This is really just a business relationship for her and you need to treat it as such. If her feelings get hurt that easy, she shouldn't be in that business. You have a right to request who you want.

That is horrible! Its bad enough going to the dentist let alone to have an experience like that each time you go.

We have manged to find THE most amazing dental office on this Earth. LOL! Seriously though, the whole office acts like a huge family. They have had the same hygienists for the last 10 years that we have been going there.

The first time we went there my hygienists name was Renee. I absolutely LOVED her! She was so friendly and gentle. While I was checking out I mentioned how great she was and the receptionist said "If you want I can mark it on your chart that you would like to have her each time you get a cleaning." And I have had her ever since. :)

Have you had a good experience with a hygienist there? If so, I would call in and specify that you would like to have that one the next time you go in.

I hope your feeling better soon.

Here's another perspective to consider - from a former dental hygienist. I worked for a periodontist (gum specialist) right after I graduated from college. I found out I wasn't very skilled at removing subgingival calculus (tartar below the gumline) when I got out of school but I received excellent advanced training and experience working for the periodontist. What was most amazing was that many of the patients we saw had been having their teeth cleaned every six months their entire adult life but unfortunately they weren't being cleaned properly and many of these patients had advanced periodontal disease with bone loss as a result. Some cases were so advanced they lost one or more of their teeth.

I moved and left that job and began working in a general dental practice. Unfortunately I found the same thing happening in the office where I worked. Other hygienists, who had not had the benefit of the additional experience I'd received in the perio office, were leaving calculus behind in difficult cases and patients were developing periodontal disease and bone loss. I'm sure I was the brutal hygienist removing the long neglected calculus that the other gentle hygienist left behind. I did however educate the patients about the situation (diplomatically because you don't want to give people a reason to sue the dentist for negligence) and let them know why the cleaning was "different" from what they had. Most were appreciative - some didn't like it and I'm sure requested the gentle hygienist.

If I were you I would ask the dentist for more information about the health of your mouth and if there's a logical explanation for the situation. I would specifically ask if they did a full mouth probing and charting of periodontal pockets - if any. Find out if you have any periodontal pockets, bone loss, etc. Ask if you had a significant amount of subgingival calculus. Ask to see your records - HIPAA entitles you to have a copy.

If there are no extenuating circumstances like this then it is quite possible the hygienist is a hack. However in my experience the more common type of incompetence is that the person just doesn't know how to do the job properly and thoroughly.

Now that I'm out of the business and can't see people's work first hand I get my teeth cleaned at a perio office - just don't trust that the other folks really know what they're doing based on my previous experience. Or they may know but are on such a production schedule that they don't have time to do a thorough job. A lot of people would probably consider my current hygienist brutal. I'm willing to tolerate that to know that the job is being done right.

My dental hygienist works out of my peridontist's office, and has since she graduated from school 20 years ago. I would not say she's brutal, but I feel she's thorough. A few years ago, she got some new on the market deep scaling equipment which she says cleans better & deeper than what she had to work wih formerly. My gums do seem a little sorer after my more recent appointments than previously, but they go back to normal within an hour or two. I see her three times a year.

I've had TWO gum scrapings in the last month...I was given novacaine before each procedure...and then the antibiotic mouthwash solution to take home...I know EXACTLY how you're feeling...my teeth are nice and clean but the procedure was brutal...you really need to get back in there if your gums are still swollen after a week...don't worry about offending her...worry about YOU!!