DEAR ABBY: I am a dental hygienist with a question that continues to plague me. Why don't patients brush their teeth before they go to the dentist?
I routinely ask patients when they arrive if they need to brush, and often receive replies such as, "That's what I pay you for," or, "I only ate a little something since I brushed -- it won't bother you."
This attitude constantly amazes me because I consider brushing one's teeth prior to a dental appointment the same as taking a bath before seeing one's doctor for a physical.
Abby, this is not unusual. I frequently encounter this situation, and am perplexed as to why patients don't brush. -- TICKED OFF IN SOUTH CAROLINA
DEAR TICKED OFF: They practice poor oral hygiene because they are in a hurry, or they don't enjoy brushing their teeth. It doesn't take a leap of logic to conclude that patients who don't bother to brush their teeth before visiting the dentist's office probably lapse in cleaning their teeth between appointments, too. When you're faced with this problem, I see no reason why you shouldn't ask offenders to please rinse their mouths before you begin.