Dr. Pooja Mehta, DMD (@drpooj.mehta) is a general dentist with a focus on cosmetic and implant dentistry. She graduated from dental school in 2020 and completed her residency in 2021. Since then, she has built a practice around thoughtful, comprehensive care — from cosmetic wax-ups and veneers to oral surgery and implant work. Here's what she had to say about flossing, patient trust, and the tools that actually change behavior.
Flossing and Patient Education
What's the most common flossing mistake you see patients make, and how do you correct it?
The most common mistake I see is technique — people saw the floss straight back and forth between their teeth and snap it down hard against the gums. That actually does more harm than good; it can cut into the gum tissue, and it skips the area that matters most. Here's the part that surprises people: that snap-and-skip habit is exactly why someone can feel like they floss regularly and still end up with cavities or gum issues right between their teeth. They're going through the motion, but they're missing the surface that actually needs cleaning. Because flossing isn't about just getting between the teeth, it's about cleaning the side of each tooth.
The way I correct it is simple: I tell patients to hug the tooth. Curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth, slide it gently under the gumline, and move it up and down along that surface — then do the same on the neighboring tooth before moving on. You're wrapping and wiping each side, not snapping through the contact. Once patients feel the difference, it usually clicks, and I find they're far more likely to keep it up when they know they're doing it in a way that's actually effective and not hurting their gums.
What is one thing you wish every patient knew about their oral health?
How deeply connected your mouth is to the rest of your body. People tend to think of oral health as separate — just teeth and gums — but it's really a window into your overall health. The clearest everyday example is the two-way street between diabetes and gum disease: uncontrolled blood sugar makes periodontal disease worse, and active gum disease can make diabetes harder to control. We also screen for oral cancer at every routine exam, so a regular visit can catch something serious early. That's exactly why I tell patients that taking care of their teeth and gums is genuinely taking care of themselves.
Why do you believe flossing is a non-negotiable part of oral health, and how do you communicate that to patients?
Because a toothbrush simply can't reach everywhere. The surfaces between your teeth make up roughly a third of the total tooth surface, and that's exactly where a brush can't get. So if you're only brushing, you're leaving a significant area uncleaned every single day. That's where plaque builds up, and it's where I see a lot of cavities start and where gum disease takes hold. Flossing isn't an "extra"; it's cleaning the part of the mouth brushing physically can't touch.
The way I explain it to patients is to take the judgment out of it. I don't lecture; most people already feel guilty about flossing. Instead, I show them: I'll point out where the issue is actually happening between their teeth on their own X-rays or in their mouth, and connect it to the habit. When someone sees why it matters for their specific situation rather than hearing a generic "you should floss more," it clicks. I also tell them the best floss is the one they'll actually use — whatever method fits into their real routine is the one that works.
How do you help hesitant or anxious patients build better flossing habits?
The biggest thing is to take the shame out of it. Most anxious patients already feel guilty about flossing, so a lecture just makes them shut down. Instead, I meet them where they are. I'd rather a patient floss well once a day than feel overwhelmed and do nothing, so we start small and build from there.
I also try to anchor it to something they already do — right before brushing at night, for example — because attaching a new habit to an existing routine makes it far more likely to stick. And I focus on technique over willpower: once someone learns to gently hug each tooth instead of snapping the floss down, it stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling effective. Small, doable, judgment-free. That's what actually turns it into a habit.
Why Dr. Mehta Recommends Slate
How did you first discover Slate products, and what made you want to try them?
Fun story, actually, the CEO reached out to me directly on Instagram! It was a genuine, out-of-the-blue message, which I loved. But I wasn't going to get behind something just because someone asked nicely, so I tried it for myself first. What won me over was honestly the simplicity. So many oral care products are overcomplicated, and this just did its job well.
The texture and glide stood out right away. It moves smoothly even between tight contacts without shredding or catching, which is one of the most common frustrations patients tell me about with floss. When something is that easy and comfortable to use, people are far more likely to actually stick with it, and as a dentist, that's what I care about most.
Which Slate product do you recommend most often to patients, and why?
Hands down, the electric flosser! It's the one I find myself recommending most, because it solves the single biggest problem I see with flossing: people not doing it. It's a 3-in-1 design — it cleans between the teeth, has little gum sweeps that gently massage and stimulate the gumline, and a tongue scraper on the back — so patients are getting a more complete clean in about a minute.
For the patients who tell me flossing is awkward, that they can't reach their back teeth, or that they just never keep up with it, this takes most of those excuses off the table. It's quick, it's genuinely easy to use, and the easier something is, the more likely someone is to actually stick with it day after day. That consistency is what protects teeth and gums long term, and that's exactly why this is the one I reach for when I'm recommending something.
What sets Slate apart from other oral care products you've used or recommended in the past?
What sets it apart for me is that it actually changes patient behavior. I've recommended plenty of good products over the years — string floss, picks, water flossers — and they all work if people use them consistently, which is the part that always breaks down. Slate closes that gap. The combination of how simple and quick it is, plus the 3-in-1 design that handles flossing, gum stimulation, and tongue cleaning in one tool, means patients aren't juggling three steps or fighting with technique. They just do it.
So the thing that genuinely stands out isn't a single flashy feature; it's that it removes the friction that usually keeps people from flossing in the first place. As a dentist, a product my patients will actually stick with is worth more than one with a longer list of features they'll abandon in a week.
Have you noticed a difference in your patients' oral health outcomes since recommending Slate?
I really have. The difference that's stood out most is with patients who struggle with manual dexterity — older patients, anyone with tremors or arthritis, or people who just could never get their hands positioned right to floss their back teeth. For years, telling those patients to floss more felt almost unfair, because the technique was genuinely hard for them.
One patient stands out: she has tremors tied to an extensive medical history and had essentially given up on flossing altogether — it just wasn't physically realistic for her. I recommended the Slate flosser, and as I've continued caring for her over subsequent visits, the change has been visible: noticeably healthier gums, less inflammation. Watching someone go from "I just can't floss" to actually keeping up with it, and seeing it show up in their gum health, is exactly the kind of outcome that makes me recommend Slate.
In Her Own Routine
What does your own personal oral care routine look like? Any habits or products you swear by?
I keep it simple but consistent. I'm a Sonicare girl through and through — I swear by an electric toothbrush, because the consistency of the clean is just hard to beat manually. And then the Slate Flosser, which has become a non-negotiable part of my nighttime routine. That combination covers what matters most: brushing well twice a day and actually flossing every night, not just when I remember. I'm a big believer in practicing what I preach, so the routine I recommend to patients is genuinely the one I follow myself.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our community — a mantra, a fun fact about yourself, or a message to your patients?
Fun fact about me: I'm a huge sports girly! Get me started on college football and I'll talk your ear off — Hook 'Em Horns all day long. But on the dental side, a little mantra I always come back to is that the best dental work is the kind you never need — prevention really is everything. I'd so much rather help you avoid a problem than fix one. And mostly, my message to my patients is simple gratitude: thank you for trusting me with your care. Getting to be part of your health is something I genuinely don't take for granted.
