Dental Industry News and Dental Care Tips

How to Properly Brush Teeth and Gums

News Anchor’s Dental Bridge Falls Out

MADtv’s Lorraine Visits the Dentist

Mr. Bean Goes to the Dentist

MADtv’s Lorraine Visits the Dentist

MADtv’s Stuart Meets the Tooth Fairy

If you’ve been following the comical videos I’ve been posting on Dental Heroes, you’ve probably noticed that a number of them are from the television show, MADtv. Am I obsessed with MADtv? No. But, they do make some of the best dental-related comedy bits ever. “Stuart Meets the Tooth Fairy” is no exception. Have a look for yourself, but make sure you’re firmly planted in your chair because it’s absolutely hilarious!

Stuart Meets the Tooth Fairy

MadTV’s Lorraine Goes to the Dentist

If you’re familiar with Lorraine from MadTV, you know that her off-the-wall antics would be a dentist’s worst nightmare. Thankfully, Lorraine is just a character on TV. You’ll see why dentists everywhere would dread her as a patient in this video clip:

Dentist Speaks Out Against Fluoride

Do You Dread the Dentist?

If so, you’re not alone. So does Sarah Baldauf, U.S. News associate health and medicine editor. Watch as she returns to the dental chair after a 5 year hiatus. As she expected, neglecting to go to the dentist proved costly - she now has a receding gum line and deep pits. Moral of the story: take care of your teeth and don’t neglect to go to the dentist.

Tigers Need Root Canals Too

Humans aren’t the only living beings that require the specialized care of a dentist. Obviously, for most animals living in the wild, dental care is not available. However, for the select few animals living in zoos, sanctuaries, etc., dental care is sometimes available. Most of us are familiar with what dental work looks like when performed on a human. However, I’m willing to bet that most of you have not seen dental work performed on a tiger. The following video provides a candid look at a root canal procedure performed on a tiger. After watching, you may wonder how you have it so good.

Little Shop of Horrors: Dentist Scene

If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the 1986 classic, “Little Shop of Horrors”, I highly suggest you give it a rent. In the clip below, Steve Martin plays the dentist from hell. You know, the evil guy with the drill hell-bent on causing the patient as much trauma as possible. Come to think of it, isn’t that how dentists have been portrayed by the media since the beginning of time?

Laughing Gas - Dentist Drug of Choice

If you’ve ever had a tooth extracted, or had minor oral surgery, you’re probably familiar with nitrous oxide - commonly referred to as “laughing gas”. The euphoric effects are unmistakable - so too is the sometimes uncontrollable laughter that ensues as the gas is inhaled. As with most gases, there are also some side effects. As Wikipedia notes:

Nitrous oxide is a disassociative drug that can cause analgesia, depersonalization, dizziness, euphoria, sound distortion, and slight hallucinations

Aside from the euphoric capabilities, this sounds like nasty stuff right? Well, don’t tell that to these dental students who show us in these Youtube videos how they spend their time in dental school.

Dentist-In-A-Box Coming to a Store Near You

Are you ready to begin performing your own tooth extractions, root canals, and reconstructive surgery? Well, now you can with “Dentist-In-A-Box”. You’ll never need to go to the dentist again because everything you need is “in the box”. Ok, maybe not. Dental care costs may be shooting through the roof, but self-dental care still sounds like the worst idea in the history of man. But, as MADtv proved, it sure does make one funny parody video.

Disclaimer
I probably should have created a category entitled “Really Funny, But Don’t Try This at Home” for this video. But, for obvious reasons I refrained. That being said, kids(and certain adults) please don’t take this video too seriously or try anything you see here at home.

Water Picks 101: The Essentials

Many of you may not have heard of a water pick before, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to this helpful oral care product. I think Wikipedia defines a water pick best,

“An oral irrigator (or water pick) is a device that is used to clear away food debris from teeth using a pulsating water jet. It is mostly used by people with braces (to replace dental floss), or periodontal problems (or for the prevention of periodontal problems, cleaning the gingival sulcus)

Several reputable companies produce water picks, including: Panasonic, Conair, Oral-B, and Waterpik. Prices for water picks typically run between $25 and $150. In my experience, the $25 model has performed every bit as well as the $150 model - so shop accordingly. I will also caution you that a water pick is not meant to replace dental floss, rather to supplement it.

To learn more about water picks and how to use them, I dug up another great video from Expert Village. If you have more questions about water picks after watching the video please ask in a comment.

Water Picks 101: The Video