When you visit a dentist office for a routine cleaning, you are typically presented with some samples at the end of the visit. These samples can include a wide number of dental hygiene products including toothpaste, floss, and a toothbrush. When you purchase your own dental products, these free extras may not get any use. Instead of just tossing them in the trash, there are many alternate uses for the products.
The following seven ideas are great methods for ways to use your dentist samples and get the most out of them.
Glove Box Storage
A simple dinner at a restaurant can lead to some long-lasting garlic breath for the rest of your evening out. By placing the dental samples in your glove box, they will be there for quick access. You can swish a quick swig of mouthwash or floss any food out of your teeth.
The car supplies are also great if you accidentally left the house without brushing.
Traveling
A lot of the samples you receive at the dental office are given to you in travel size. This makes it easy to save them for vacations or plane rides. One of the best samples that you can bring for flights is toothpaste. Security regulations only allow toothpaste that is 3.4 ounces or smaller, making the dentist office sample the perfect choice for packing.
Stocking Stuffers
Around Christmas, all of the holiday treats means that teeth need extra care. Encourage proper teeth hygiene for family and loved ones by using the dentist samples as stocking stuffers. Things like floss or a toothbrush can easily fit into a stocking and are a healthier alternative than something like a candy cane.
Work Emergencies
While working, it's a good idea to have something that can freshen breath and keep your mouth clean during the day. Chewing gum can only go so far. Using a small bottle of mouth wash will help give you fresh breath. Keeping a toothbrush in your office desk is also ideal for when things get stuck in your teeth or you have the urge to brush after lunch break.
Give Them Back
There's no sense in wasting resources and money from the dentist office. When you receive your free samples, there is no harm in politely declining them. Once declined, the samples can go to patients who will use them. After the first time, a dentist or hygienist may take a note of this and stop offering samples on future visits.
Donations
There are a lot of programs in the United States that look for donations to dentist hygiene groups. By donating the unopened items, you can help someone get basic dental care. Along with dental-specific groups, there are a number of groups that you can donate the items to. Look into donating the dental samples to food banks or homeless shelters in your local area.
Children
Children should learn at young age about proper oral hygiene and daily brushing. The children in your life can feel more responsible and in control when they have their own dental products in the bathroom. A sample size of toothpaste is easy for a child to squeeze out into their brush. Depending on the age, you will have to make personal judgment on additional items like the floss or mouthwash.
Coupons
Even if you do not use the samples, many dentists give out coupons in the same bags. A lot of these coupons are very valuable and could save you a lot of money on products that you already buy. One of the best parts about these coupons is that they are distributed for extended use. This means that the coupons have expiration dates that are a lot further into the future. This gives you plenty of time to use the coupon when needed.
The next time you visit a dentist from a site like http://www.claremontdentalinstitute.com, keep all of these ideas in mind as you receive some new samples.
