Ensure Ergonomic Health
Musculoskeletal injuries are an occupational hazard in the dental hygiene profession.
Musculoskeletal injuries are an occupational hazard in the dental hygiene profession. The prevalence of work-related injuries is exceedingly high, with approximately 96% of dental hygienists reporting pain caused by clinical work behaviors. Musculoskeletal injuries are often caused by poor posture, repetitive movement, and the static positions required during the provision of dental hygiene care. Static awkward posture, particularly those with isometric contractions of the trapezius, has been identified as a risk factor particular to these occupations.
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Use of Loupes
The use of magnification has great potential to increase the quality of dental hygiene clinical care and to support the musculoskeletal health of dental hygienists. Evidence shows that the use of loupes while treating patients improves clinician posture. Loupes also support dental hygienists’ preferred angle of vision, while maintaining optimal operating posture. Before purchasing loupes, dental hygienists need to research this modality, as using improperly selected or adjusted loupes can negatively impact musculoskeletal health and contribute to eyestrain.
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Seating
Operator chair features and proper seating position are crucial to proper ergonomics. Circulation in the legs, thighs, and feet is maintained by adjusting the operator chair to a proper height. Minimizing stress on the spine by moving the back of the chair closer to or farther away from the seat so that the upper arms and torso are aligned with the long axis of the body is important to maintaining ergonomic health.
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Dental Hygiene Instruments
Ergonomic adjustments have been made to dental hygiene instruments to improve their ergonomics, including increasing the handle diameter, reducing the weight and improving the balance of instruments, adding padding, adapting the shape and texture of the handle, and varying the handle diameters of the instruments used during dental hygiene procedures. Lightweight handles, larger diameter handles, and padding for instruments and mirrors help decrease muscle activity and the applied forces typically required in dental hygiene care. Gripping pads are an excellent option for modifying existing instruments. They enable dental hygienists to use a lighter grasp, which results in diminished hand fatigue. These gripping pads enlarge the handle diameter and decrease pressure on the muscles of the hand and thumb, resulting in greater tactile sensitivity and effortless rotation of the instrument.
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Intraoral Cameras
The use of intraoral cameras help to increase operator visibility, improving clinician ergonomics during patient education. Intraoral cameras are relatively easy to use and enable immediate viewing of images, while also providing additional light and magnification. The added magnification helps clinicians visualize pathology, open margins, fractures, and caries, while maintaining an ergonomically correct posture.
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Gloves
As hand health is critical to career longevity, ensuring that gloves fit properly is of paramount importance. Properly fitted gloves may help reduce fatigue in the hands and wrists. Too-large gloves leave excess material at the fingertips, which may increase the risk of strain, while too-small gloves interfere with blood flow. The addition of textured fingertips may help improve grasp. Proper ergonomics is key to preventing musculoskeletal injuries, and the adoption of gloves designed specifically for the right and left hands may prevent hand fatigue and reduce the pain and impeded blood flow associated with donning ill-fitting gloves.
