It’s (almost) spring cleaning season – and this doesn’t just apply for clutter accumulated at home. It’s the perfect time of year to reassess oral hygiene routine and ensure your go-to products are working hard. San Francisco-based General and Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Lior Tamir shares his personal must-follow process to keep his teeth clean and healthy along with a few of his favorite, tried-and-true products to help your audience “spring clean their oral hygiene routine.”
But first…floss
No surprise here…yet another dentist is underscoring the importance of flossing daily to keep the mouth clean, and free of odor-causing bacteria. When flossing, Dr. Tamir reaches for Cocofloss, made of hundreds of individual threads and infused with natural coconut oils. “I love this product because it’s much thicker than your average floss, and really scrubs between the teeth. Once you start using it, you’ll be addicted, too!”
The brush matters
Not all electric brushes will deliver equal results. Dr. Tamir says, “hands down, I prefer the Phillips Sonicare – nothing comes close in terms of leaving me with that super clean feeling. For those with sensitive teeth, I recommend a micro nano brush. It’s super soft and has 20K bristles which really helps remove plaque gently and effectively.”
Toothpaste (times two!)
In skincare, most have designated products for the morning and different ones for the evening composed of ingredients best for each time of day. Dr. Tamir follows a similar regime when selecting his tooth paste. “When I wake up, I prefer to use one that will give a little extra whitening boost and provide a refreshed taste, like Marvis Whitening” he shares. “At night, I use Boka because it offers hydroxyapatite, which has been shown to reverse small cavities and remineralize the teeth as effectively as fluoride, without as much toxicity.”
Tongue scrape for added freshness
Growing up, we were instructed to brush, floss, use mouthwash and maybe give our tongue a quick brush or two, but tongue scraping was not always top of mind. Today, many are partaking in the added step. “Once you try it – you’ll never believe what comes off of your tongue. For years, I’ve been using BreathRX Tongue Scrapers,” Dr. Tamir advises. “They’re inexpensive, easy to travel with, and are amazing at getting the tongue super clean and the mouth feeling fresh.”
Mouthwash, rinse + repeat
No brushing routine is complete without mouthwash. It’s a crucial step to eliminate what’s left of bacteria at the end of the routine and leave your mouth and breath feeling clean. “From my experience, nothing will leave the mouth fresher than Marvis Strong Mint Mouthwash. It’s a strong flavor and will keep your breath feeling fresh for hours. An added bonus, it contains propolis which is a natural anti-inflammatory derived from bees to help fight against bacteria, viruses, and fungi; it also has anti-inflammatory effects that are known for healing.”
