blacktoothfairy__

04/23/2026

A prophylaxis cleaning (or “prophy”) is a preventive dental cleaning that removes plaque, biofilm, and calculus to keep your gums and teeth healthy and prevent disease. It’s not just about a brighter smile, it helps stop gingivitis and periodontal issues before they start. 🦷✨

One of the best tools for this is the Cavitron (ultrasonic scaler). Why?

✅ Efficient biofilm & calculus removal
✅ Improves gum health – reduces inflammation and bleeding
✅ Saves time & reduces fatigue – better for both patients and hygienists
✅ Irrigation effect – water flushes bacteria and debris

Using a Cavitron ensures your cleaning is thorough, effective, and comfortable, while helping hygienists maintain proper ergonomics and prevent strain. Regular prophy cleanings + ultrasonic care = healthier teeth and gums long-term! 💪🦷

The appointment typically goes as follows:

1. Review the medical history
2. Ask for chief complaints: Is anything bothering or hurting the patient and address those concerns.
3. If they have pain and are not yet due for an FMX (Full mouth of X-rays) or 4BW check up X-rays then you still need to take radiographs of the area that is causing pain.
4. Next I do a perio chart, in a general dental office these should be done on everyone annually. Followed by intraoral photos of any lesions or broken teeth etc.
5. If pocket measurements from the perio chart are healthy and there’s no need for an SRP (Scaling & Root planing) then proceed with a regular prophy.

05/12/2022

Have you ever heard of the NOMAD?

The KaVo NOMAD Pro 2 is a handheld, rechargeable, battery-powered intraoral x-ray system that produces high-quality radiographs with digital sensors, standard films, and phosphor plates.

KaVo NOMAD Pro 2 is safe to be used as a handheld X-ray
source when used correctly. There is no need to leave the
room during an exposure.
Aside from the direct beam, X-ray devices have two potential operator radiation sources:

1) leakage radiation
and
2) backscatter radiation bouncing back off the subject.

1. Leakage: Unique internal shielding of KaVo NOMAD Pro 2 encases
the X-ray tube practically eliminating leakage radiation which makes it safe to use Pro 2 as a handheld device during exposures.

2.Backscatter : When properly oriented, the transparent shield on the KaVo NOMAD Pro 2 collimator acts as a barrier against backscatter
radiation, making it safe for the operator to stay in the room.

As a result of the internal and backscatter shielding, operator X-ray exposure is far below federal
regulatory limits.

I love the NOMAD because it reduces the footwork of the clinician and expedites the process of x-rays because the clinician doesn’t have to run outside and press the X-ray button! We literally press the button on this handheld device and keep it moving.

Have you ever seen this at the dental office you go to regularly?

This thing is the future and I am beyond obsessed!!!

!

03/14/2022

Say whatever you want about Ms Joseline Hernandez but that woman is very health conscious and knows a thing or two about the oral systemic connection and I AM HERE FOR IT! This scene made me sooo happy. Let’s go Joseline. Come be a dental hygienist with me lol. Nothing she said was wrong ok! Listen to her. She stated all facts.

03/03/2022

Have you seen this at your dental appointment in recent years?

This is a Chairside Aerosol Suction unit.
This device adheres to the strict guidelines with regards to CDC mandates and "universal precautions." This additional layer of safety is used to facilitate the care and protection of patients and staff, by placing these Chairside Aerosol Suction units in each treatment room. They are of the highest class, as they continuously prevent viruses, spit, blood, dust and more from spreading, by eliminating saliva, aerosols and gasses on the spot.

What do you think about these suction units?

10/18/2019

10/14/2019

Unbeknownst to me, my path to work in the field of dentistry was paved at a young age. For as long as I can remember I loved going to the dentist office. ⁣
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The positive energy of the office was contagious; from the moment you entered the staff was courteous and reassuring. I can still remember the sights and sounds of the office and the joy I felt when I left with my dental loot bag. ⁣
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However, it would not be until many years later that I truly appreciated the positive impact my pediatric dentist, Dr. Reich, and his office staff had on my life and eventually my future.⁣
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I was born and raised in the Germantown section of Philadelphia and had the privilege to grow up in a home where I learned the value of family, community, and hard work. ⁣
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After graduating Walter Biddle Saul High School, I enrolled in nursing school. As I entered my third year of the nursing program, I accepted a position as a nursing assistant at Chestnut Hill Hospital. With my new role I began encountering the many dimensions of human suffering that illness and death brings. ⁣
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I found myself increasingly troubled by the emotional weight of caring for the acutely ill. My mother’s stories from the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit, where she worked, transformed from tails of heroism to those of terror. ⁣
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After much consideration, and with the support of my family, I un-enrolled from the nursing program at Holy Family University. Despite changing the direction of my career, my sense of service to others and community remained intact. ⁣
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As I regrouped and started looking again to my future, I remembered Dr. Reich. With his office in mind I applied to the Dental Hygiene program at the Community College of Philadelphia - I graduated June of 2018. ⁣
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From the moment of my epiphany to today, I am confident I have found a career that embodies my passion to help others by not only preventing disease and promoting overall wellness, but by empowering them to feel confident and worthy and, of course, to smile. ⁣
⁣🧚🏽‍♂️🦷🤗
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10/10/2019

“Be true to your teeth or they’ll be false to you.” -Unknown ⁣
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Here is my personal stash.⁣
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I have an , a and a water flosser. I have yet to get the name brand though. ⁣
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I have used every tooth paste in this photo. How can you recommend the right products if you’ve never tried them all? I think that’s why it is imperative to try everything in dentistry if you’re a dental professional in order to recommend the appropriate things for each individual patients needs.⁣
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My absolute favorite toothpaste is the gum detoxify. The foaming action of the toothpaste makes your mouth feel ridiculously clean!! I love it!! ⁣
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What’s your routine ?⁣
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10/07/2019

Happy Monday all! ⁣
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Here we have a situation where a patient had three molars removed which caused this premolar to super-erupt and drift right out of the mandible. ⁣
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This is why whenever teeth are pulled we strongly recommend you have them replaced shortly after because you risk losing a perfectly healthy tooth. ⁣
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rdh

10/04/2019

This is a 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞 case of 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬!⁣⁣
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Period disease is an advanced version of gum disease that is 𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄! ⁣⁣
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Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease that IS 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄. So if a dental professional tells you that you have gingivitis please take that seriously and do what you were advised to prevent getting perio disease. ⁣⁣
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Signs of gingivitis : ⁣⁣
•gums are tender, swollen, red ⁣⁣
•gums bleed easily ⁣⁣
•halitosis (bad breath)⁣⁣
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Signs of Advanced Periodontitis :⁣⁣
•Teeth May begin to shift⁣⁣
•teeth may become mobile (loose) ⁣⁣
•Pt may experience pay while chewing. ⁣⁣
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Loose teeth are due to severe loss of bone and connective tissue. If you have bone loss the teeth become loose and they will eventually fall out.⁣⁣
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You can prevent gum disease with regular 6 month dental visits. We can catch it before it gets really bad! ⁣⁣
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Above you can see pictures of before and after the scaling. This patient will be on a 3 month recall visit for the rest of this patients life. Gingival measurements were 7mm+. Healthy gum measurements are between 1-3mm. ⁣⁣
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This patient hadn’t had a cleaning in several years. Causing plaque to harden and push the gums down away from the tooth which is also know as recession. Think of gum recession as a receding hairline. The gum is below where it should be. ⁣⁣
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I had the pleasure of doing this patients scaling and it took me two hours for the right side and two hours for the left side. ⁣There’s nothing more satisfying than removing this tenacious building above and below the gumline. ⁣
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Pleaseeee schedule your dental visits!! Remember, dentistry isn’t expensive NEGLECT is! If you stay on top of your appointments and DO YOUR HOME CARE you will never have a problem. But it starts with you !! 🧚🏽‍♂️🦷☺️

10/03/2019

Hey Guys!! ⁣
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Remember this patient of mine ? ⁣
Welp, he finally gained the strength to get the procedure done and let me tell you it was amazing to watch ! ⁣
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So his first step was extraction of #8. That took approximately 30 minutes which is shockingly fast if you ask me !! ⁣
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The crown of the tooth actually came right out. Took about 6 minutes. But that root tip was the struggle baby!! That’s what took the longest because it was well beneath the gum ⁣
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Next, the bone graft was placed to preserve the bone in preparation for the implant later on after the area heals. ⁣
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I am so happy I got to see this process everything in dentistry just excites me!!⁣
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If you have any questions please ask in the comment section!! ⁣