17 Secrets Your Dentist And Hygienist Will Never Tell You

We recently asked members of the Community to tell us what it's like working as a dentist or hygienist. Here are some of the best submissions.

1. Quit telling us how much you hate us.

"Please don't tell us you hate us. Imagine hearing multiple times during your work day how much you are hated. Expressing anxiety is different — part of my job is to alleviate the pain, fear and concerns of my patients. But hate? I know of no other profession in which it is acceptable to tell a doctor how much you hate them.
I'm simply doing my job the best that I can and unfortunately when the appointment begins with an insult, it greatly decreases my ability to perform at the highest level. It's a real downer."

2. Yes, rarely flossing is horrible for your teeth and gums.

"If you don't floss every day, bacteria left between the teeth, plus acid from foods (sugars and carbs), lower the pH in the mouth to the point where demineralization of the enamel occurs. Although it's easier to tie one habit in with another, I tell my patients they don't HAVE to floss right after brushing. Floss in the shower, floss while you're watching TV, or heck, pick up some floss and use it while you're doing pretty much anything. The main goal with flossing is to disturb the bacteria between your teeth so it doesn't have an opportunity to adhere to the surface and cause damage. So go disturb that bacteria!"
—emilypicklesk

3. It's basically the equivalent to this:

"Not flossing is like wiping your butt cheeks and not the crack."
—baileyr49ebef7f1

4. Just floss regularly, ok?

"We didn't make you bleed. You not flossing and developing gingivitis from poor home care is what made you bleed. Floss daily and I guarantee your next cleaning will be a lot easier."
—patriciah415412f37

5. And know when it's time to get a new toothbrush.

"Change your toothbrush every three months, or after you get sick. Brushes harbor bacteria!"
—kimmiecarmina

6. Brush your teeth BEFORE going to your dentist appointment.

"For the love of compassion, please do NOT eat right before you come in for a cleaning without brushing first! We are human beings and do NOT enjoy picking food out of your teeth. It's just gross and this is not a car wash!"

7. Do us a favor and swallow your spit during the cleaning.

"Also, your saliva doesn't become toxic when we are in there. It's ok to swallow your own spit. It's super annoying and takes a lot of time out of your appointment if we have to suction your mouth every two seconds."
—patriciah415412f37

8. X-rays are important. And no, they won't kill you.

"People who think that one or two X-rays will instantly cause cancer: a full set of X-rays (18 films) is comparable to the radiation you receive from a 30 minute flight in a plane. You are much worse off if we are unable to detect decay or any other issue because you refuse X-rays."
—laurenrae1211

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