Treatment costs, the best products to use and implants are among the most asked-about topics by dental patients.
Six dentists recently shared with Becker's the most common questions they get from patients and how they address them.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Robert Bang, DDS. Wing, Mack, Smith and Bang, DDS (Newark, Ohio): The biggest question I get, by far, is, "Are the floss picks (floss on a stick) as good as traditional flossing?"
My response is always:
They are certainly better than doing nothing. They are great for folks with disabilities, arthritis or other physical limitations that preclude them from flossing. But if you have two healthy hands, you can do a better job with traditional floss.
Brandon Canfield, DDS. Ohio Sleep Treatment (Westerville, Ohio): The question I get asked the most and that also means the most to patients is cost. So even in this economic environment where labor and supply costs have skyrocketed post-COVID, we have maintained our philosophy of providing low-cost, affordable dental care. Now we are seeing over 400 new patients per month, many that drive over two hours to see us, and our collections have gone up 25 percent. So address your patients' number one concern (cost) by keeping treatment affordable, and both you and your patients will be rewarded.
Benjamin Joy, DDS. Joy Dental Pines (Pembroke Pines, Fla.): I am often asked about the best type of toothpaste and floss.
Toothpaste: The best type of toothpaste is a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is the only active ingredient in toothpaste that prevents cavities. Since that's the reason we brush our teeth, the best toothpastes always have fluoride.
If a patient has sensitive teeth, I suggest a combination of two pastes. One paste should contain potassium nitrate (5 percent) and the other paste should have stannous fluoride (.454 percent). I recommend this combination because these ingredients work in two different ways to reduce sensitivity. If anyone knows of a paste with both ingredients made today, please let me know.
As for floss, I hear from my patients and from hygienists how great the string is compared to alternatives. Whether or not that's true I really don't know. But it's not how I see it. I think the best floss is the one you use once a day. Whether it's the string style (I personally use Glide flosses by Oral B), picks, harps or the water floss, the point is to use the one that is most convenient to you. It takes practice and dexterity to use the string floss, and it's not for everyone. Just make sure those harps make it to the trash — I can't tell you how many I've seen in parking lots.
Many of my patients don't ask about mouthwash. Even though they don't ask, they should. Mouthwash is an important part of a healthy hygiene routine. The best one depends on the patient. If you have a gum issue, I like the menthol, eucalyptus oil formulations (Listerine Cool Mint is what's in our office). If you have an issue with cavities, I'd look for a mouthwash with fluoride. If you have alcohol addiction I'd go with an alcohol-free formulation. If you're perfectly healthy I'd still recommend mouthwash but it almost doesn't matter which one.
Huzefa Kapadia, DDS. Kapadia Dental Care (Waterford, Mich.) and Detroit Sterling Dental: One is tonsil stones: If they have bad breath they want me to check if they have tonsil stones.
They really didn't know anything about tonsil stones until that type of content became viral on TikTok [with] people showing how they push a tonsil stone out of their mouth. In response, I tell them to see an ear, nose and throat doctor.
Luke Morgan, DDS. Luke M. Morgan, DDS & Associates (Mechanicsville, Md.): Over the past couple of years, I have noticed more people asking about implants partially because of increased advertising, and it seems there are implant ads everywhere online. We place a fair number of implants in our office, so my staff is good at helping navigate implant-related questions.
Patients, especially new patients that have had dental issues or extensive treatments in the past, often say, "Why don't we just pull all my teeth and make them into implants?" This gives us a good education starting point on why it's important to save your natural teeth. But also allows an opening for those that could benefit from partial or full arch implant restorations to begin the conversation. Treatment planning comprehensively is easier when patients can understand the benefits and see results on how their oral health can be improved.
Steven Schneider, DDS. (San Diego): Patients almost never ask about oral health. They may ask about electric toothbrushes. Almost all questions we get are about costs, their insurance, is it going to hurt and how much time will it [take]. Their concerns are really always about convenience and costs. Sad to say, but most just take their oral health for granted unless they have a problem. Then it is usually guilt about not listening to their professionals.