Smile for Me Now: The 6 Products in My Dental Routine

Thursday, June 20, 2019


Why, yes, that title is based on a 2Pac lyric.

It’s been a couple months since my first dentist appointment in a loooong time, & now I’m on my way to a healthy mouth. Woop woop! (If only I could get myself organized enough to find a new gynecologist & go see my allergist again… baby steps, right? Adulthood can be hard.)

At the end of my first appointment at Hudec Dental, my hygienist, Sandra, gave me a product recommendations & a few free samples so I could get a feel for what I liked before sinking my hard-earned money into a bunch of random stuff for my mouth. After trying a few things, recommended by her & by my Aunt Joan, who’s also a trained hygienist, here are the products I’ve settled on (& in case you missed it, here’s how I keep track of my new dental routine).


1. Oral-B Pro-Health 3000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Sandra told me I was brushing my teeth too hard. Ouch! I thought I was just being thorough, but apparently I’ve been damaging my gums, Instead of using a manual toothbrush, she advised me to get an electric toothbrush to guide me in terms of length of brushing, brushing pressure, etc.

She recommended two kinds of electric toothbrushes, & I went with this one because, uh, it was on sale at Target. (This version isn’t currently available on Amazon Prime, but the 5000 Series is just over $100.) I’ve only been using it for about a week, but I like that it tells me exactly what to do so I don’t have to worry whether I’m getting everything, brushing for the right amount of time, etc.

It’s hard to get used to an electric toothbrush – so much weird mouth vibrating! – but I have a feeling it’ll be worth it.


2. Sensodyne Rapid Relief Sensitivity Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

I switch between different kinds of sensitivity toothpastes, but this is the one I’m using now & think I like most. My teeth don’t feel particularly sensitive, but because I have a problem with overactive stomach acid – yeah, gross, I know – I have serious enamel erosion that could lead to sensitivity. That sounds terrible, so I’m trying not to let it get worse.

3. GC MI Paste Plus®

Speaking of products to combat enamel erosion, this is a “topical tooth créme containing calcium, phosphate & fluoride,” according to the product website (you know I would’ve gone with cream, not crème). It’s supposed to help minimize sensitivity & rebuild the strength of my teeth. Science!

The photo below is way more dramatic than the actual process of using this stuff: A couple times a week, I apply it to my teeth & let it sit for a few minutes. I chose the melon flavor, & it’s surprisingly good, though I hate actual melons. (I know, I know, why did I pick that flavor? Hey, it sounded quirky.)


4. BreathRx Tongue Scrapers

When my hygienist told me I needed to start using a tongue scraper, I asked why my teeth couldn’t serve as tongue scrapers. She thought I was telling a funny joke. Oooops.

I bought a three-pack of tongue scrapers for under $7, & once a day, I run one of them up & down my tongue & try not to look at whatever comes off on it. Sandra explained that tongue scrapers get the gunk that builds up behind your tastebuds, which, uh, I’d never thought about. Nasty. So now I’m obsessed with using these.

5. Glide Oral-B Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss & Oral-B Complete Glide Dental Floss Picks

I know I recently complained about flossing, but now I sort of love it? I keep these floss picks in my car (they’re flavored with Scope!) & mostly use regular floss when I’m home & getting ready for bed. I’m still not great at the twice-a-day thing, but I figure once a day is better than, like, once a month? I’ll get there. (The floss in the top photo is COCOFLOSS’s “coconut-oil infused luxury dental floss,” which works fine but just sounds way too bougie – so I’m switching back when it’s done.)


6. The Doctor's Advanced Comfort NightGuard

No way in hell am I showing you this one. Ain’t nobody want to see that! Yes, I feel like a hockey player when it’s in, and no, I can’t talk right – but it keeps me from grinding my teeth to dust, and I’m so used to it that I can barely sleep without it. Soon, I’ll be getting fitted for a “real” one instead of the version I’m currently using, which I bought at CVS & boiled in a pot of hot water on my kitchen stove. Upgrade!

What’s your dental routine? Got any product recs for me?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Hudec Dental. I have an ongoing, paid partnership with Hudec Dental in exchange for the creation of original content; as always, all opinions are my own.

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