Not Magical, but This Wand Does Wonders

I am blessed/cursed with a small mouth, which makes it difficult to floss.

The task becomes that much more challenging when it feels like I have claws for fingers. Dexterity is impacted during a flare-up or when finger joints have dislocated.

A dental wand has made this task easier.  The pay-off comes when I listen to the dentist as he does the probe test, and I hear mostly ones and twos!

Open Wide

I am fortunate to have a dentist who fully understands how rheumatoid arthritis impacts the ability to keep one’s mouth open for longer dental procedures.

(Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the jaw.)

He knows that when I give the signal, he is to stop work. Even with the rubber dam in place, I can slightly close my mouth, thus relaxing my jaw. A few moments makes all the difference. This definitely changes an “Oww!” to an “Ahh!”

Speak to your dentist about how difficult is to keep your mouth open for extended periods of time. Decide upon a signal to use that indicates that you need to take a break in order to rest your jaw.

Image courtesy of Hector Landaeta.