I always brush my teeth beforehand, but I know that there are always people who will behave differently.

  • derf82@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I try to cram 6 whole months worth of dental hygiene into the hours before my appointment.

  • zero_spelled_with_an_ecks@programming.dev
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    1 year ago

    I eat a package of Oreos beforehand to help out, that way the hygienist has a clear marker of if they’ve cleaned somewhere or not. Cleaning clean teeth would be like painting a grass green. Did I get that spot? But painting it purple, you know where you’ve been.

  • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Do you want to be done with the picking and scraping as easily and quickly as possible? Brush first. Not excessively, just as you normally would at night. If you’re flossing, do it a couple hours early so any swelling can subside before they measure your gums.

    Otherwise it’s like trying to mop an unswept floor.

  • Jordan117@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’d be mortified not to. It would be like going to get a haircut without showering that day.

  • Vlyn@lemmy.zip
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    1 year ago

    The dentist doesn’t want to play peek-a-boo with your last meal.

    Obviously floss and brush beforehand.

  • SharkEatingBreakfast@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Dental assistant once thanked me profusely for brushing my teeth before the appointment. I always do, but that cemented my resolve to continue doing it indefinitely.

  • Today@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Every dentist I’ve ever had gave out toothbrushes at check-in so you could brush before being seen. Is that not the norm?

  • Wollang@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    I really like my dentist and everyone on her team, so I will always brush before an appointment. Feels rude not too.

  • Gorejelly@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I would never brush or floss before, unless I had just eaten something awful within the last hour or so. I think it is best to stick with your normal routine. You give the hygienist a better look at how good or bad your cleaning is. They can easily tell what is recent and what has stuck to the teeth and requires scaling. Furthermore, you aren’t saving them any stink. The stuff that you need their help to clean out smells about 50 times worse than the things you just ate (just smell your floss compared to your breath after any meal). A quick rinse with water will get the worst out of their way, and even if you’re a sloppy eater the rest will take maybe 5 minutes at worst to remove.