# Goodie bag from the dentist. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975 "2012-08-28T23:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/1 "2012-08-28T23:04:20Z")
No matter how old I get, I still love getting my goodie bag from the dentist. I had an appointment today for a cleaning and in my goodie bag was a new toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and sugar-free gum. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/2 "2012-08-28T23:05:30Z")
Nice. I’m stuck with the one dentist out of five that prefers sugar gum for his patients that chew gum ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/3 "2012-08-29T00:47:12Z")
I would be happier with mine if they put in a coupon for my electric toothbrush replacement brush. They talked me into buying the thing, I love it and wouldn’t switch back now, but the free regular brush is just useless at this point. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/4 "2012-08-29T01:32:49Z")
Gum? I never get gum! Now I want gum! ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/5 "2012-08-29T01:36:18Z")
same here: no gum, never! cheat! and as long as I’m complaining, I never get nitrous oxide, either. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/6 "2012-08-29T02:02:24Z")
Ooh! Ooh! No gum, but awesome lip balm! The vanilla-almond balm is da bomb. (Get it??? The balm is da bomb! I crack me up sometimes.) I don’t get to pick out a toy, however, like my son used to. Actually, he’s 17 and he STILL picked out a toy after his appointment today! I use an electric toothbrush, too, but it’s nice to have a spare for the office, one for the travel bag, one for jewelry cleaning, etc. (I’m with you, **SeaDragonTattoo**. If they push the things, you’d think they could throw in a coupon or sumpin’.) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/7 "2012-08-29T02:35:59Z")
My goodie bag usually has a toothbrush, travel size toothpaste, dental floss, those little wire pipe cleaner thingies, and sometimes a prescription mouthwash. One time I got a little 3 minute timer, too, to make sure that I’m brushing my teeth long enough. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/8 "2012-08-29T02:43:13Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > My goodie bag usually has a toothbrush, travel size toothpaste, dental floss, those little wire pipe cleaner thingies, and sometimes a prescription mouthwash. One time I got a little 3 minute timer, too, to make sure that I’m brushing my teeth long enough. I want a little timer! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/9 "2012-08-29T03:29:22Z")
It was one of those little sandglass thingies, except that it was plastic, not glass. And I do use it, and it does help me brush for the full time period. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/10 "2012-08-29T05:02:36Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I would be happier with mine if they put in a coupon for my electric toothbrush replacement brush. They talked me into buying the thing, I love it and wouldn’t switch back now, but the free regular brush is just useless at this point. > [@freckafree](#): > > I use an electric toothbrush, too, but it’s nice to have a spare for the office, one for the travel bag, one for jewelry cleaning, etc. (I’m with you, **SeaDragonTattoo**. If they push the things, you’d think they could throw in a coupon or sumpin’.) Why would they bother with coupons? They’re obviously making at least two sales without coupons. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/11 "2012-08-29T07:25:46Z")
When they make up my goodies I ask for sensitive toothpaste. I also ask for little tree like bristle pickers. I think my brush runs for two minutes but a timer would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/12 "2012-08-29T14:01:02Z")
Lip balm? Timers? Little wire thingies? Damn! You people get the perks! I get the toothbrush, the toothpaste, floss and those little wooden snap-off stick thingies for interdental cleaning. And I am grateful for all of it. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/13 "2012-08-29T14:35:35Z")
My current dentist is the first one that has given me goodie bags. I’ve never gotten lip balm or gum, but man oh man how I love those tiny floss packages. They let me take a Lightning McQueen sticker, too. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/14 "2012-08-29T14:40:38Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > My goodie bag usually has a toothbrush, travel size toothpaste, dental floss, those little wire pipe cleaner thingies, and sometimes a prescription mouthwash. One time I got a little 3 minute timer, too, to make sure that I’m brushing my teeth long enough. Three minutes? It’s three now? I thought it was two minutes. Mind you, I live in England. The three-minute timer would last us all year. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/15 "2012-08-29T16:27:39Z")
Used to only get a cheapo freebie toothbrush and a miniature spool of floss. The floss is great for travel, but we don’t really run thru them very fast so they now mostly get tossed. The toothbrush goes into my tool bin where I use them for cleaning jobs. For myself, I buy real toothbrushes that actually, you know, work. They’ve added those floss pick things now, which I sort of like. Not as good as toothpicks for getting big things out between teeth. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/16 "2012-08-29T16:37:20Z")
I always get a toothbrush, floss and travel toothpaste. (And a sticker but don’t tell my kids.) For those of you above who don’t use manual toothbrushes and don’t use them for cleaning, you should be able to donate them to a women’s shelter or to your local food bank. Our school does a drive every year. I do this with all personal products that I get free that I don’t want. Anything I get a free coupon for I always get and donate. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/17 "2012-08-29T16:54:30Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Three minutes? It’s three now? I thought it was two minutes. > > Mind you, I live in England. The three-minute timer would last us all year. Three minutes. And I get a quality toothbrush, too. Not a cheap one. ---
**Author:** ![Bass\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@Bass\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bass_Chick)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/18 "2012-08-29T17:39:55Z")
I get a toothbrush, sometimes toothpaste, floss, chap stick and those things that look like plastic needles to thread floss to clean under my bridgework. If I have any work done, they always give me lots of gauze that winds up with the first aid supplies. Once I got some toothpaste coupons. I get the stickers too.😃 ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/19 "2012-08-29T19:45:37Z")
My current dentist (who I’ve only had one checkup with so far–before that I’d just went to him to deal with a lost filling) includes Random Other Stuff, like… oh, I think there was a keychain with some of those folding scissors and a very dim LED flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975/20 "2012-08-29T21:25:10Z")
My sister works for the dentist I go to. I have a good rapport with the people there and my goodie bag is always full when I leave. One time I was given an oral b tooth brush. They ain’t cheap. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodie-bag-from-the-dentist/632975.md?page=2)