Brushing teeth before going to the dentist has the same motivator as shaving pubes before going to the gynecologist: If someone's going to be looking inside there, you want it to look nice.
Taking a toothbrush and tooth paste to work with you just to brush before going to the dentist, who is going to then clean my teeth anyway, seems far stranger to me.
I never said it replaced my daily brushing. Just that I do not specifically brush before going to the dentist and that bringing the gear to do so to work would be weird to me.
My dentist has never complained about my mouth when I've gone in. I've got an appointment in a few weeks in fact and I'll make a point to tell her snooggums knows better.
I started brushing before going and the visit takes less time now. And I get less of the "hygienist-induced gingivitis" (my phrase for soreness after they poke around in there) so it's a win for me. It also feels more polite not to be breathing my lunch at them. But it's your mouth, you do what you like.
I go to the dermatologist every six months and they have to look at my entire body every time, I take extra care to be clean and smell neutral or faintly nice. Unless that one time I had to go by bike bugy that was outside my control. I feel pretty self conscious at those times.
Same goes for the dentist, I take extra care weeks in advance when I know an appointment is coming up. If you have stuff in between your teeth a brush won't reach, one quick brush before the appointment has as much effect as taking a breath mint.
I always assumed it was helpful to get the gunk off of your teeth so the hygienist doesn’t have to spend an extra minute or two with you. The less time I’m forced to keep my mouth open, the better. My lips get chapped, my tongue goes dry, I’m bored. It serves utilitarian function
Unethical lifehack: if you start flossing every day about a week before your appointment, you'll be indistinguishable from someone who actually flosses regularly.
I legitimately have a meal before going to my hygienist appointments, the more random small bits it has like seeds or tiny nori stripes and whatnot, the better.
Supposedly makes their job more interesting when they have something to dig for.
37 Comments
TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world · 70 pts · 301d
If you don't brush before going to the dentist then I'm going to assume you're a sociopath
iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works · 16 pts · 301d
I mean, I schedule my dentist appointments at the end of my work day. So I guess I'm a sociopath.
snooggums@piefed.world · 13 pts · 301d
You can take a toothbrush to work...
iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works · -1 pts · 301d
Taking a toothbrush and tooth paste to work with you just to brush before going to the dentist, who is going to then clean my teeth anyway, seems far stranger to me.
snooggums@piefed.world · 21 pts · 301d
The dentist is cleaning the buildup and checking for issues, not doing one of your daily brushings.
iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works · -5 pts · 301d
I never said it replaced my daily brushing. Just that I do not specifically brush before going to the dentist and that bringing the gear to do so to work would be weird to me.
My dentist has never complained about my mouth when I've gone in. I've got an appointment in a few weeks in fact and I'll make a point to tell her snooggums knows better.
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 301d
I started brushing before going and the visit takes less time now. And I get less of the "hygienist-induced gingivitis" (my phrase for soreness after they poke around in there) so it's a win for me. It also feels more polite not to be breathing my lunch at them. But it's your mouth, you do what you like.
iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works · -4 pts · 301d
I don't eat anything prior to a dentist visit. So the last things on my mouth would have been tooth paste that morning and water all day.
Vinny_93@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 301d
I go to the dermatologist every six months and they have to look at my entire body every time, I take extra care to be clean and smell neutral or faintly nice. Unless that one time I had to go by bike bugy that was outside my control. I feel pretty self conscious at those times.
Same goes for the dentist, I take extra care weeks in advance when I know an appointment is coming up. If you have stuff in between your teeth a brush won't reach, one quick brush before the appointment has as much effect as taking a breath mint.
FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world · -9 pts · 301d
Why? I'm paying for them to do it. You don't crank one out before getting a happy ending.
TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 301d
I think a closer analogy would be more like "I don't shower before I ask a hooker to tongue blast my fudge machine"
FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world · -4 pts · 301d
expatriado@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 301d
also got to look pretty for the colonoscopy appointments
SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 301d
I bedazzle my butthole then leave a couple interesting treats inside to keep their attention.
dethedrus@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 301d
You're like the giving tree!
SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world · 5 pts · 301d
Last time I put an owl pellet and two toes up there you should have seen their expression!
dethedrus@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 301d
Two of your own toes or owl toes?
SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world · 4 pts · 301d
Just some random toes I had laying around.
dethedrus@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 301d
Economical. I won't ask about the provenance or origin of said toes as it's none of my concern.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 301d
If you don't prep right you're basically wasting their time
Gullible@sh.itjust.works · 17 pts · 301d
I always assumed it was helpful to get the gunk off of your teeth so the hygienist doesn’t have to spend an extra minute or two with you. The less time I’m forced to keep my mouth open, the better. My lips get chapped, my tongue goes dry, I’m bored. It serves utilitarian function
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 301d
I completely agree. That said, a little lip balm while you're in the waiting room can help with the chapping.
ceenote@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 301d
Unethical lifehack: if you start flossing every day about a week before your appointment, you'll be indistinguishable from someone who actually flosses regularly.
autriyo@feddit.org · 15 pts · 301d
Unethical because you are only hurting yourself by not doing regularly anyways?
I should floss more often...
ceenote@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 300d
Unethical mostly because lying bad. Lying to medical professionals bad and dumb.
I only did it like twice. I floss regularly now.
Whitebrow@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 301d
I legitimately have a meal before going to my hygienist appointments, the more random small bits it has like seeds or tiny nori stripes and whatnot, the better.
Supposedly makes their job more interesting when they have something to dig for.
Their words, not mine.
BreadOven@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 301d
You don't have to shave your pubes as a woman. Or man (or however you identify).
over_clox@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 301d
Brushing before going to the dentist is like shitting and wiping before going to the proctologist. 💩
Aneb@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 301d
I also floss for the week leading up to the dentist lol
stringere@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 300d
I was not expecting a compliment on my manscaping when I went in for my vasectomy.
Edit to add: I did not shave for today's colonoscopy.
0ndead@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 301d
Good advice bro
the_q@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 301d
snooggums@piefed.world · 3 pts · 301d
Brush twice, floss once per week or so. Dentist said to floss only once a day, I just don't do a good job of keeping up.
starlinguk@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 298d
My dentist says most people floss so badly that they push bacteria into their gums, so he prefers it when people don't floss.