This Glove is Just Right-The tale of Goldi-Smart and the Three Gloves

[Jonathan Coffey]

Once upon a time, there was a Dental Hygienist named Goldi-Smart. One morning she went for a walk in her dental office. Pretty soon, she came upon a dental supply closet. She knocked and knocked, but no one answered, so she walked right in.

Goldi-Smart needed to find a pair of gloves to wear for her next appointment. She looked up high and down low; the closet was full of interesting dental supplies. She spied three boxes of gloves on a faraway shelf.

She tried on the gloves in the first box. She pulled and pulled as hard as she could, until they finally snapped onto her hands. "This glove is too stiff and uncomfortable,” she exclaimed.
She ripped the gloves off and moved on to the next box. Her hand slid into the next glove with no effort whatsoever. "This glove is loose and has too much material at my fingertips, it just doesn’t fit," she said sadly.

Finally, she tried on the gloves in the last box. It slipped perfectly over hand, like it was made just for her. It was not too tight, not too loose, and felt soft, stretchy and comfortable. Plus she could tell she’d be able to hold and use her instruments with ease. “Ahhh, this glove is just right," she said happily. Then she left the supply closet to begin her next oral hygiene appointment.

What can we learn from the tale of Goldi-Smart?

You might not think about it too often, but the issues that may arise from using the wrong gloves can be more detrimental than you think.

The first thing you want to determine is whether or not your gloves fit your hands properly. The wrong size glove can cause many problems, including hand fatigue and pain. Take a second and to learn how to measure your hand properly and become the office “glove expert.”

To get started, measure your hand using our Glove Solutions Chart. ‘Click Here’ for a direct link. Follow the instructions and find out which glove size is right for you.

Now that you have your size, let's talk about the difference between fitted and standard gloves. Look at the picture on the left. These are the forms used to make exam gloves. Which one looks right? Does your hand look like a mannequin? Put your arm at your side and notice the shape of your relaxed hand. It's more like the form on the left. This is the form used to make left-right fitted exam gloves at SmartPractice. It creates a more natural fit like the picture of the hand on the right, which

reduces stress, hand pain and fatigue. Remember, although it may not bother you after just a few hours of use, repeated stress and hand fatigue leads to more serious problems including: Compression Neuropathies, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOC), and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Now let's talk about other glove solutions.

Do you have dry hands from washing them a lot? Does wearing gloves make your hands perspire? Do you have allergic reactions or irritated hands? SmartPractice carries the widest selection of gloves developed for those with sensitivities. Choose from a wide variety of latex free, accelerator free, carbamide free, powder free and more. We also carry Nitrile Decontamination Utility gloves for handling contaminated instruments or harsh chemicals. They are puncture- resistant and have a long 13” cuff for extra protection.

Finding the right exam glove is essential. That's why our customer care team is backed by the expertise of  Dr. Curt Hamann, CEO and Medical Director of SmartPractice. Considered an authority on latex and rubber-based allergies, as well as a pioneer in the creation and usage of left/right fitted gloves for dental procedures, Dr. Hamann is the driving force behind our continued commitment to provide comfortable, effective, affordable glove options for health care professionals in all disciplines.

Now that you’ve learned about how to fit gloves correctly and all the different glove options available, make sure everyone else in your office is as comfortable as you and Goldi-Smart!

To learn even more visit www.smartpractice.com/glovesolutions