First, the good news: if you brush twice a day and floss most nights, you’re ahead of most people. Researchers at the CDC found that only about a third of American adults 30 and older floss every day.
Now, the bad news: if you’re only flossing and brushing, you’re missing out on some major healthy and whole-body health benefits.
Brushing and flossing are some of the most important tools we have to manage plaque, but, as I’ve found over 40 years of dentistry, a healthy mouth and body need more than that.
It needs a tongue that isn’t carrying a thick layer of biofilm, saliva with enough minerals to rebuild enamel, and an oral microbiome that stays balanced.
Here’s what my own routine looks like, and why:
1. Brush or scrape your tongue when you wake up
The first thing I do after I wake up and stretch is scrape my tongue, because biofilm accumulates on the tongue overnight, when saliva production is at its lowest. The tongue’s textured surface traps bacteria, dead cells, and food debris. With less saliva flowing during sleep, that coating can accumulate.
This simple step makes breakfast taste better and kick-starts the body’s ability to reduce nitrates into nitric oxide (aka, better blood flow, better energy, and a better day all around).
→ My tongue scraper (but any stainless steel one will do)
2. Drink a glass of mineral-rich water
Before coffee, I drink a full glass of mineral-rich water. For me, that’s filtered water with an electrolyte powder stirred in, or just a San Pellegrino that’s been kept in the fridge so it’s chilled.
Saliva carries the minerals that rebuild your enamel after every acid attack. Filtering your water is a good idea, but most filters strip out minerals along with everything else, and most people never put them back.
→ My favorite electrolytes
3. Floss before you brush
You should always floss before you brush because it allows the active ingredient in your toothpaste, preferably nano-hydroxyapatite, to actually reach the spaces that only floss can reach—and that’s where cavities typically start.
The most common mistake is getting the floss between two teeth and pulling it straight back out. That cleans the middle of the gap and misses both tooth surfaces. Instead, curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth, slide it under the gumline until you feel light resistance, and move it up and down. Then curve it against the neighboring tooth and repeat.
→ My floss
4. Swish with MCT oil
Antiseptic mouthwash clears out your beneficial bacteria along with the harmful ones, so I swish an oil pulling blend instead.
For years, I recommended coconut oil for oil pulling. I don’t anymore. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which is too aggressive in my opinion. That’s why I changed my recommendation to MCT oil, which is a refined version of coconut oil that is less aggressive on biofilm.
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil is a refined version of coconut oil, made mostly of caprylic and capric acids, with very little lauric acid. Its shorter chains let it penetrate your biofilm, the living layer your beneficial bacteria attach to, and loosen it while leaving most of the community in place.
→ My favorite oil pulling blend
5. Brush gently + don’t rinse
Heavy pressure can wear away your gumline, and most people press harder than they need to. Holding the brush like a pencil in your non-dominant hand makes it harder to bear down. Use soft bristles, angle the brush at 45 degrees to the gumline, and make small circles for two minutes. With an electric brush, let it do the work—don’t saw back and forth.
→ My nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste
6. Store your toothbrush uncovered and replace it every month
After brushing, I rinse my brush and stand it upright to air-dry. I advise against covering a toothbrush or keeping it in a closed container, since a damp, enclosed brush grows more bacteria than one left open to the air. If several brushes share a cup, keep them from touching.
I recommend a new brush every month, much sooner than the three to four months the ADA recommends, because worn bristles turn sharp and damage your gums. If you’re waiting for your bristles to splay, you’re waiting too long and risking cavities and gum recession from those worn-out bristles.
→ Whatever brush you use, make sure to use the softest bristles possible, the gentlest setting if using an electric brush, and replace those heads every month
7. Take magnesium
Magnesium plays an important role in how your body uses calcium, and it’s actually present in small amounts in your tooth enamel.
Here’s something I find fascinating: Researchers have shown that exposing tooth enamel directly to concentrated magnesium solutions can change its crystal structure and make the surface harder. One laboratory study found an approximately 20% increase in enamel nanohardness.
Now, that doesn’t mean taking a magnesium supplement will make your teeth 20% harder.
But magnesium is important for bone health, calcium regulation, and hundreds of processes throughout the body. It’s a mineral worth getting enough of, which is why I supplement with 500mg every night, 1-2 hours before bed.
→ My favorite magnesium
I’m curious how your routine compares to mine. Is there anything you do differently or plan to try after having read this?
Dr. B
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