That viral comment about "toxic positivity" in dental cleanings actually made sense

I saw this comment on a dental hygiene post that said calling cleanings "spa-like" was gaslighting patients. Blew me off at first. Then I actually sat with it. Realized I do that. I tell people "this will feel great" when it's literally scraping off 6 months of buildup. That comment called it a form of dishonesty. Made me rethink my whole intro spiel. Now I just say "this might be uncomfortable" and people trust me more. Has anyone else had a random comment shift how you do your actual job?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_hayden17d ago

Read a similar thread about doctors dropping "you won't feel a thing" and it clicked for me too.

grace50817d ago

Oh man, this whole thread is really getting me. I used to be totally on the other side honestly. I would tell people all the time that cleanings were no big deal and almost fun because I thought it helped them calm down. But reading that original comment and then seeing how nancygrant and hayden broke it down, I get it now. Youre right that these little lies set up a fake expectation and when it hurts even a little bit, the trust gets cracked. I never really saw it as dishonesty before but now I do and it makes me want to change how I talk to people about it too.

nancygrant17d ago

Read a different take that changed my mind back honestly. I tell my patients "this might pinch a bit, but you got this" and they brace for it way more than they need to. Ends up making the whole thing worse because they tense up before I even start scraping. Sometimes a little white lie about it being easy actually helps people relax and that makes my job easier and their teeth cleaner.