The 4 Best Hygiene Products To Quickly & Easily Improve Your Dental Hygiene Routine

Discover the best hygiene products to improve your dental hygiene routine to achieve a healthier, brighter smile today.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

The Best Hygiene Products To Improve Dental Health Naturally

1) Seek a natural, non-toxic toothpaste

Your mouth is the entryway of your body and has the ability to influence your overall health. It's filled with helpful bacteria essential to your gut health and immune system. For this reason, it's important to avoid toothpaste with harsh or toxic chemicals that can be destructive to this sensitive microbiome.

Take a look at the ingredients in your toothpaste. Does it contain any of the following?

• Triclosan? This super-strong antibiotic has been banned for use by the FDA in hand soaps and body washes, but at least one big-name brand still continues to use this banned substance in their products.

• Sodium? Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)- you'll commonly see this chemical in shampoos and detergents, and it's linked to painful canker sores, gastrointestinal issues, and even cancer. Manufacturers have even tried to register SLS to be used as an industrial pesticide, so you know you don't want that in your mouth

• Artificial colors and sweeteners? Like aspartame (which your body metabolizes as methanol) or saccharin (disrupts the balance of good bacteria in the gut)

If your toothpaste has any of these ingredients, toss it! And check out these great natural alternatives that will promote better oral health. 

2) Upgrade your toothbrush to either a soft-bristled manual brush or an electric sonic toothbrush

Brushing your teeth is the foundation of good oral hygiene. A big component of your dental health is the type of toothbrush you use. Whether you prefer a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush, there are a few important things to consider.

If you prefer a manual brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush.

It's easy to assume that you can remove any plaque or food particles more effectively with a medium or hard bristle toothbrush. But sometimes, more of something good is not necessarily better. Hard-bristle brushes can lead to receding gums and, eventually, tooth sensitivity and cavities. If your gums are bleeding when you brush, it could be a sign that the bristles are too stiff.

Here's why soft bristle brushes are the best hygiene products for the job.

• They help prevent receding gums and the exposure of tooth roots
• They have flexible bristles to get into tooth and gum crevices
• They help preserve tooth enamel

Here are some tried and true soft bristle brushes that will go easy on those gums.

Electric toothbrushes are generally accepted and clinically proven as the superior way to remove plaque from your teeth. But of course, they are more expensive and can tend to be clunky. If you are brushing diligently and consistently with your (soft-bristle) manual toothbrush, keep it up! No need to change what is working for you. But if your looking to level up your dental hygiene game, an electric toothbrush is a great place to start.

When you're ready to invest, a sonic versus an electric toothbrush will be the most efficient choice since you don't need to move your hand when using it. You can let the brush head's high velocity, speed, and frequency do the work for you! The movement of a sonic toothbrush will even power your toothpaste between your teeth and hard-to-reach places in ways that a manual or standard electric toothbrush can't.

Suggested Reading: Does Berberine Help With Sugar Cravings? A Comprehensive Guide

3) Add a Waterpik to your dental care routine

If you're really committed to taking your oral care routine to the next level, a Waterpik (or water flosser) will be especially helpful for reaching into those hard-to-reach areas of your mouth that a good brushing and floss just can't get. Added bonus- say buh-bye to morning breath!

While many questions whether manual flossing is better than using a Waterpik, I say, why not do both? I thought I was doing a great job managing my dental care with just a traditional manual brush and floss, but when I introduced a Waterpik into my routine, I was amazed at how much food and debris was still left behind.

So how do you pick a good Waterpik? Look for an ADA-accepted water flosser (American Dental Association) to know you've selected a reliable dental tool. And remember, the most expensive one available is not always the best.

• Waterpik Cordless Water Flosser - a great option for two reasons 1) it's cost-effective 2) it's cordless, so you can take it in the shower and avoid getting water all over the bathroom mirror

• Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser- While it's not the most aesthetic thing to have sitting on your bathroom counter, this is the original, tried, and tested. You can't go wrong.

Bonus: Improve Your Dental Health Even Further

4) Try adding liquid oxygen or hydrogen peroxide to the water tank of your Waterpik for added antibacterial and whitening benefits

Be careful to only use a few drops. A little goes a long way in this case.

Aim to use only purified water in the tank. Tap water can contain harmful biologic contaminants that can get stuck in the components a continue to contaminate the water flowing through your Waterpik to your mouth. Tap water, as a rule, also contains fluoride, which is intended to prevent tooth decay by inhibiting bacteria that produce acid in the mouth. However, for those with a thyroid disorder such as Hashimoto's or hypo/hyperthyroidism, unnecessary exposure to fluoride can cause further unnecessary damage to the thyroid gland and is worth avoiding when possible. (That goes for toothpaste too!)

Like this post? Share on Pinterest!