Which toothpaste do dentists recommend: Insights into your dentist’s medicine cabinet.

Inquiring minds wanted to know, so we asked. What dental stuff is in a real-live dentist’s medicine cabinet?
Which toothpaste does a dentist not only recommend, but use himself?

Dr. David Gundersen, Fitchburg dentist with First Choice Dental, sheepishly shared, “Nothing in my medicine cabinet is all that exciting or interesting, but these are the oral health products that I choose for myself and my family.”

What toothpaste and toothbrush do dentists use?
Sensodyne Toothpaste  and Colgate Total Toothpaste are among the products Dr. Gundersen chooses for himself. “I guess I’m just a sensitive guy at heart, and I really do find that using Sensodyne makes a difference for me. I make sure to use it for a week prior to having dental work or a cleaning done because it helps relieve those tender spots. However, I often use Colgate Total, too.”

Dr. Gundersen has his Sonicare toothbrush already at the ready, charged up and ready to go. He said, “Once you’ve made the switch from a regular toothbrush to a Sonicare toothbrush or other electronic variety, I’ll bet you won’t go back. I notice a difference between dental visits, and my hygienist agrees with me. The key is to make sure you change your brush heads regularly. Dr. Gundersen picks up both the Sonicare toothbrush and extra brush heads right at our office, where he also recommends this handy tool to patients.

How do dentists keep their smiles white and bright?
If you’ve ever wondered if Dr. Gundersen’s gleaming pearly whites are naturally bright or if he has help, here’s his secret. “If you peek inside my medicine cabinet, you’ll find teeth whitening trays. I’m not too proud to admit it. I brighten up my smile from time to time by wearing them daily for a few days to a week to keep my smile white and bright. The thing I love about take-home whitening is that I control when I wear the trays and how white I want my smile to be. Once I had the trays made at First Choice Dental, all I needed to do was pick up the whitening gel refills from time to time.”

His smile is not only bright, but also fresh, thanks to what he calls a “monstrous” bottle of Cool Mint Listerine.

And then there’s his floss collection, which he says he keeps in a small “bucket”, all shapes, sizes, brands. No brand loyalty when it comes to floss for this doc. When floss just won’t quite cut it, Dr. Gundersen pulls out one of his handy-dandy GUM Soft Picks, especially during barbeque and sweet corn season.

What products do dentists recommend for their kids?
“For my daughter Lucie, we love the little plastic flossers that make it easy for small fingers to do a great job.” So you’ll find those in the Gundersen family stash. Lucie is also the proud owner of her own bright red Kids Sonicare toothbrush. Lucie prefers Dora the Explorer toothpaste, Colgate brand. Although Dr. Gundersen admits to borrowing some from time to time. Dr. Gundersen also likes for Lucie to use ACT rinse for fluoride. Lucie likes berry flavor.

Since the Gundersen crew enjoys travel as a family, you’ll also find soft bristle toothbrushes in a multitude of colors and designs, for easy on-the-go brushing. And they keep on hand travel-sized versions of the Listerine, GUM Soft Picks and Colgate mini toothpaste tubes, which our office hands out at each regular dental visit.

Random other items Dr. Gundersen admits to keeping in his medicine cabinet, “Electric barber shears for my massive beard and flowing locks. Ibuprofen for tooth pain, or excessive gardening or chicken ranching (I’m not kidding about the chicken ranching. I also own a night guard because I tend to grind my teeth at night. I’m a huge Burt’s Bees lip balm fan. And for nights out with my lovely wife, Amie, I have Old Spice.  A true classic.  Anything else about my medicine cabinet is not for my public.”

So there you have it! If you wanted to know what the professionals use, here’s the inside scoop from our Fitchburg dentist Dr. David Gundersen. For more in-depth dental health product questions and recommendations, be sure to ask him at your next appointment, which you can schedule online at our Fitchburg location. To schedule an online appointment at any First Choice Dental location, click here.