For years, people have asked what we actually use in our own home.
Not an idealized, 15-step routine. Not a list of products we recommend but do not personally use. Our real routine - the one we return to as an integrative dentist, a health coach, and parents raising three boys.
The short answer is that our daily oral care is fairly simple. We brush, floss, tongue scrape, and pay attention to the conditions that help the mouth stay healthy in the first place: nutrition, saliva, hydration, nasal breathing, and how often the teeth are exposed to food and acidic drinks.
Because the mouth does not exist separately from the rest of the body. What happens between brushings matters, too.
Here is exactly what we do.
Our morning oral care routine
We usually tongue scrape and brush first thing in the morning.
Tongue scraping helps remove the coating that naturally accumulates on the tongue overnight. It should be gentle - there is no benefit to scraping hard enough to cause pain, irritation, or bleeding.
Then we brush with Yin & Fang toothpaste -it is microbiome supportive and helps with remineralization - and a Sonicare electric toothbrush with a soft-bristle head for the entire timed interval. We use light pressure and allow the toothbrush to do the work rather than aggressively scrubbing the teeth and gums.
The standard evidence-based baseline is brushing for two minutes, twice per day with a soft-bristle toothbrush. We replace our brush heads when the bristles begin to show wear. The American Dental Association recommends replacing a toothbrush or brush head approximately every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles become frayed or matted.
If at home, we often brush again after breakfast and coffee while getting ready with the kids. If you brush after coffee, lemon water, or another acidic food or drink, do not brush immediately. You could drink or rinse with plain water and give your saliva time to neutralize the acids first. Brushing immediately after an acid exposure can contribute to enamel wear.
What we do during the day
We both often brush after lunch. Heather at home, and Whit has a toothbrush he keeps in his backpack at the office. This is a personal preference, not a rule everyone needs to follow. The foundation is still gentle, thorough brushing morning and night.
What we pay even more attention to during the day is frequency.
Every time we eat or drink something other than plain water, the environment in the mouth changes. That does not mean food is bad for your teeth. It means a pattern of defined meals generally gives the mouth more time to recover than constant grazing, snacking, or sipping throughout the day.
We are not perfect about this. We drink coffee. Our kids snack often. We eat out. But as a general rhythm, we try to:
● Eat nourishing meals rather than graze all day
● Limit frequent snacking
● Avoid slowly sipping sugary or acidic drinks over many hours
● Drink spring water between meals
● Rinse with water after coffee, lemon water, or other acidic drinks
The goal is not rigidity. It is reducing the number of repeated acid and sugar exposures the teeth experience each day.
Our evening oral care routine
In the evening, we floss and brush with Yin & Fang again.
We clean between the teeth once or twice daily with Yin & Fang floss. Whatever floss you choose, the important part is cleaning the surfaces a toothbrush cannot reach.
Good technique matters. Guide the floss gently between the teeth, curve it into a C-shape around the side of each tooth, and move it slightly beneath the gumline. Avoid snapping the floss down into the gums.
After flossing, we brush with Yin & Fang and our soft-bristle Sonicare, typically right before bed.
Why we use Yin & Fang toothpaste & floss
We created Yin & Fang because we wanted an oral care product we felt good about using every day - and giving to our children.
Our formula contains four intentional ingredients: coconut oil, baking soda, organic cocoa butter, and nano-hydroxyapatite. It does not rely on SLS, dyes, artificial flavors, strong essential oils, sugar alcohols, titanium dioxide, fluoride, or unnecessary foaming agents.
We chose nano-hydroxyapatite as our remineralizing ingredient. Hydroxyapatite is a calcium-phosphate mineral, a form of the same mineral that naturally makes up your teeth. Research shows it helps strengthen enamel, reduce sensitivity, gently brightens teeth and protects against cavities. Your personal cavity risk and dental history should be part of the conversation with your dentist of course. For acute issues or high risk, a varnish can be very beneficial, but support in everyday brushing is helpful also.
The food foundation behind our oral health - and our Oral Microbiome
One of the biggest drivers of our oral health is our diet.
We eat a primarily whole-food diet and choose organic and non-GMO foods when possible. We prioritize pasture-raised meats, buy locally when we can, and cook at home the majority of the time.
When we eat out, we look for restaurants centered on real, slower-cooked food. We choose organic or seed-oil-free options when available and generally keep restaurant meals more occasional.
The broader principle is simple: prioritize a varied, nutrient-dense diet that supplies adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals. Teeth and bones are living mineralized tissues, but there is no single “tooth food” or supplement that can compensate for an otherwise poor diet or inconsistent oral hygiene.
Hydration, saliva, and dry mouth
Saliva is one of the mouth’s built-in protective systems. It helps wash away food debris, buffer acids, and maintain the environment around the teeth and gums. A chronically dry mouth is not just uncomfortable; it can increase the risk of decay and other oral problems.
That is why hydration is part of our oral care routine.
We drink spring water throughout the day. We also likes Quinton seawater minerals as a sugar-free electrolyte and mineral addition.
Sometimes we add mineral salt and lemon to water. Because lemon is acidic, we do not recommend sipping lemon water continuously throughout the day. It is better to drink it with or around a meal, avoid swishing it around the teeth, and rinse with plain water afterward.
Persistent dry mouth can also be related to medications, health conditions, mouth breathing, or reduced saliva production. If drinking more water does not resolve it, bring it up with your dentist or physician rather than assuming dehydration is the only cause.
Nasal breathing and keeping the airway clear
We prioritize nasal breathing, especially during sleep, because sleeping with the mouth open can contribute to a dry oral environment.
We do not personally mouth tape because we have not had mouth breathing issues. However, mouth taping can be useful for many people. It is not a universal solution and should not be used to cover up an untreated airway or breathing problem.
When we are congested, we try to clear the nasal passages. We may use a neti pot or a plain saline rinse or spray.
Simple seasonal allergy support can be useful too. Some of the extras we use are Quercetin and D-Hist for seasonal allergy support.
What we do not use routinely
We do not use antiseptic or alcohol-based mouthwash as part of our everyday routine. We also do not use mint gum, mints or anything with essential oils or xylitol in our mouth on a regular basis.
If something feels irritated, we may use a simple warm saltwater rinse. Occasionally, a baking-soda rinse may be appropriate. A surgical procedure, active infection, or diagnosed condition may call for a dentist-prescribed rinse- like after wisdom tooth removal; that is different from using a strong antiseptic mouthwash every day without a specific reason.
In general, we routinely skip:
● Alcohol-based and antiseptic mouthwash as an everyday default
● Hard-bristle toothbrushes and aggressive brushing
● Natural flavors or essentials oils in the mouth
● Constant snacking and prolonged acidic or sugary sipping
● Fluoride toothpaste and fluoridated water
● SLS, artificial dyes and flavors, titanium dioxide, and unnecessary additives in toothpaste
The simple version
If you take only five things from our routine, make them these:
1. Brush with a microbiome friendly toothpaste, like Yin & Fang,gently for two minutes, morning and night, with a soft-bristle toothbrush.
2. Clean with floss between every tooth once per day.
3. Support saliva through hydration, nasal breathing, and attention to persistent dry mouth.
4. Favor nourishing whole food meals over constant grazing and prolonged acidic or sugary sipping.
5. Choose products you can use consistently, and personalize your routine with a dentist who understands your history and priorities.
Oral care does not need to be extreme or complicated. The most effective routine is one that supports the mouth without forgetting the rest of the body - and one you can realistically return to every day.
*This article shares our family’s personal routine for educational purposes. Individual cavity risk, gum health, medications, saliva flow, restorations, airway, age, and medical history can change what is appropriate. This information does not replace individualized dental or medical care.