Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Mariam Olayode
Dental anxiety: Why “just relax” is not enough in the dental chair
The patient sat in the chair shivering before we had even started. Her arms were crossed tightly and her body was rigid, visibly trembling. We had not picked up a single instrument. Nothing painful had happened. Yet a quiet room and a gentle tone had done little to ease her fear. Someone said what dental professionals often say in that moment: “Relax.” She could not. Working chairside, I have learned that “just relax” is almost never said unkindly.
Why the teeth can feel different after scaling
Some patients notice new spaces or a tooth that feels loose after scaling and worry that the cleaning caused it. Dental Surgery Assistant Mariam Olayode explains what may have tartar. By Mariam Olayode I have heard this concern more than once. A patient sits up after a scaling and polishing session, runs their tongue across their teeth and says, “You scraped my teeth. Now they are loose.” They are not necessarily angry. They are genuinely worried. And I understand why.
What patients don’t say in the dental chair
There is a question I have learned to ask that almost never appears in any clinical protocol. Not “Where does it hurt?” or “How long have you had this problem?” But something much quieter: “Is there anything else you’d like me to know?” The answers to that question have taught me more about patient care than I expected. Over time, I’ve realized that patients rarely come into the clinic carrying only a dental problem.
Mariam Olayode: Why I Started a Mobile Dental Service
I had a friend in secondary school who never smiled with his mouth open. He’d laugh with his lips pressed together and cover his mouth with his hand when something was really funny. He had heavy calculus buildup, the hard yellowish deposits that form on teeth when plaque is left for too long, and he’d thought it was simply how his teeth were. It wasn’t until I began studying oral healthcare that I learned the truth: calculus is not permanent at all.
Dental fear is not really about pain
I used to hide my smile in photographs. Not because I was shy. Not because I was having a bad day. But because I had convinced myself that my teeth were too big, too much, too visible. I watched people with smaller, neater teeth and quietly wished mine were different. I kept my lips together in every picture for years. I am a dental surgery assistant. And for a long time, I was also one of the patients I now sit beside every day. I tell you this because I think it matters.
The closed door: HIV stigma in clinical training
Her door was always closed. Every other mother on that maternity ward had hers open. You could hear them from the hallway: the soft sounds of newborns, the low voices of partners and grandmothers, the particular exhausted joy of those first hours. Nurses moved in and out freely. Students stopped to peek, to congratulate, to practice the small rituals of care that we were there to learn. The ward had a warmth to it that I hadn’t expected, a feeling of life pressing forward. Her door stayed shut.
Mariam Olayode: Why Nigerians Are Scared of Visiting The Dentist
A girl had been managing her pain for weeks. She took painkillers in the morning and more at night, yet her jaw throbbed every time she tried to eat. It was clear that she needed to have her tooth extracted. However, when someone finally convinced her to visit the clinic, she sat in the waiting room, became increasingly anxious and left before her name was called. Why?
The Oral Health Advice I Ignored Until My Own Mouth Forced Me to Listen
The Oral Health Advice I Ignored Until My Own Mouth Forced Me to Listen The oral health mistakes I made before my patients taught me better. Press enter or click to view image in full size image by Author There is a particular kind of embarrassment that comes with being a dental professional and realising your own mouth is evidence of everything you preach against. I was a dental student when I started learning the rules. Brush twice. Floss. Avoid hard foods. No gum. I knew them all.
You Will Regret These Three Things. Every Dentist Has Watched It Happen.
You Will Regret These Three Things. Every Dentist Has Watched It Happen. A dental assistant on the three most common and most preventable mistakes she sees in the chair every week. Press enter or click to view image in full size Photo by Ozkan Guner on Unsplash It always starts as a toothache. The first time I saw Ludwig’s angina, I had just started my career. He was a man in his fifties.
You Took Panadol, Rinsed With Ogogoro, and Went to Bed. Your Jaw Didn’t Forget.
You Took Panadol, Rinsed With Ogogoro, and Went to Bed. Your Jaw Didn’t Forget. A dental professional explains why "managing" a toothache is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Press enter or click to view image in full size Image by Author You felt it on a Thursday. It started as a dull ache on the lower left side—nothing too serious, just a slight throb while you were chewing. You told yourself it would pass.
Teething Isn’t Just for Babies: What You Need to Know About Wisdom Tooth Pain
Teething Isn’t Just for Babies: What You Need to Know About Wisdom Tooth Pain You thought teething was something only babies do, right? Drooling. Crying. Chewing on toys. Surely we left that behind in nursery school? Well, surprise! Just when you think you have mastered “adulting,” your mouth decides to throw one last tantrum. Welcome to the world of Wisdom Teeth. If you are between the ages of 17 and 25 (or even older), and you’ve been feeling a dull ache at the back of your jaw, congratulations...
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Mariam
Contact Mariam, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack