Going to the dentist is a necessity that most people dread.
But for all your dental-related horror stories, you can bet your dentist has seen worse.
MailOnline heard from two dentists about the things their patients do that terrify them and some will actually make your skin crawl.
From licking the dentist’s fingers to leaving toenails in your mouth, here are the worst things patients do.
MailOnline heard from two dentists about the things their patients do that terrify them and some will actually make your skin crawl
The bowl is missing when spitting while the mouth is numb
Numbing the mouth is necessary for certain procedures such as tooth extraction or fillings.
But with numbness comes a lack of control.
Cosmetic dentist Sam Jethwa, of Bespoke Smile in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, says
one of his pet peeves is when patients lose the bowl while spitting up liquid.
He said: “Obviously losing control of the mouth as a result means that when we go to rinse and spit, we might lose the bowl.
“It’s a long cleaning process for our helpers, but it’s always a hands-on moment. For all.’
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Licking the dentist’s fingers
You read that right, another irritating thing patients do is lick the dentist’s fingers, according to Dr. Jethwa.
The dentist, who is also vice-president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, said: “The non-latex gloves we use are soft compared to the traditional old-fashioned ones, but they are not for licking.
“It’s always comical when a patient has a weird tongue and comes in to lick their fingers.”
Share toothbrushes with your partner
Have you ever forgotten your toothbrush and used your partner’s?
Well, Dr. Jethwa says that’s a big ‘no, no’.
He said: “Our gum specialist helps people with gingivitis and tries to stop them from losing their teeth and save them.
“Obviously part of that is to discuss existing cleaning habits.
“He has sometimes recalled patients who reported sharing a toothbrush with their partner.
“As much as we love them – that’s a no, no.”
Dr. Ben Atkins, a dentist and trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, previously stated that brushing can make your gums bleed, so if you share a toothbrush, you could be sharing blood.
He added: “Brushing sometimes causes bleeding gums, which exposes everyone you share your toothbrush with to bloodstream diseases.
“There are many hundreds of different bacteria and viruses in our mouths and people sharing a toothbrush could pass them on to others.
“While this could be something relatively harmless, like a common cold or herpes, if the person you’re sharing with is infected with hepatitis B or HIV, these could also be transmitted via the toothbrush, with serious health consequences.” .
With mouth numbness comes a lack of control and Dr Jethwa, also vice-president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, says one of his pet peeves is when patients lose the bowl while spitting up liquid (file photo)
Waving your hands after putting them in your mouth
During the pandemic, the handshake went out the window and was replaced by a touch on the elbow.
This was done in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.
But, as in other parts of life before the pandemic, the practice is making a comeback and Dr Jethwa says it gets even worse when patients put their hands in their mouths first.
He said: “Let’s try to do it with clean hands and not hands that have just been put in our mouths.”
Cracking sound from removing retainers
If you’ve ever had retainers – like many people as a teenager – you may recognize this next one.
Dr Jethwa says the noise some patients make when they remove the retainers is “gross”.
He said: “If you’ve had them, you’ll know the sound it makes naturally when we take them out in private.
“That sound I think we can all agree is pretty disgusting.”
Dr Sam Jethwa said: “The non-latex gloves we use are soft compared to the traditional old-fashioned ones, but they are not for licking. It’s always comical when a patient has a weird tongue and comes in for a toe lick!” (file photo)
Leaving things in your mouth (like toenails)
Another dentist curl is when patients leave things in their mouths, such as toenails.
Dentist Dr Alan Clarke, clinical director at Paste Dental in Belfast, says he has also found pencil, plastic wraps, a live spider, several flies and gum hidden behind a back tooth.
He said: ‘We always encourage patients to take care of both their teeth and gum health, which means regular cleaning and flossing (to help eliminate those cobwebs).”
Don’t brush your teeth
It may seem obvious, but another of Dr Clarke’s problems is when patients never brush their teeth.
She said: “We’re not talking about missing the night brush if you go to bed late or struggle to stay awake after a long day at the office.
“We’re talking about 15-20 years of not brushing or never brushing. Yes, it’s a surprise to us too but we find it quite often.
“There are many things we can do, advise and assist, to encourage optimal dental health, but the journey begins with ownership and patients accepting the vital role they personally play in maintaining their oral health.”
Dr Jethwa, of Bespoke Smile in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, says the noise some patients make when they remove the retainers – which hold the teeth in place – is “gross” (file photo)
DIY Dentistry
We’ve all seen tutorials on how to whiten your teeth at home, but ‘DIY dentistry’ goes much further, says the Belfast dentist.
She says she’s seen teeth whitening using household bleach and broken crowns with furniture glue, nail polish and chewing gum.
Dr Clarke said: “It is dangerous, potentially toxic and a significant risk to your health, consult a registered professional for safe dental treatment planning and care.
“We hate to see the damage you can do with little knowledge and desperation.”
He once had a patient with gum disease who tried to reattach his tooth.
The dentist added: “I don’t know if I should be shocked, scared or sad, but I have personally found large pieces of stick in a patient’s mouth as they thought. [don’t try this at home] Sure why not reattach my loose tooth – with a soft white glue.’
