The Top Oral Care Rules Dentists Wish You Followed

You’ve heard it time and time again: brush your teeth twice a day, visit the dentist every six months and cut down on sweet stuff to help prevent cavities. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to oral health. The NBC Select team has spent years talking to dentists about every type of toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, mouthwash and teeth whitening product imaginable, learning about who should use what, why and when. Dentists have also answered our burning questions along the way, like whether there’s a “right” order to do your oral care routine in (spoiler alert: the verdict is still out).

In this episode of For What It’s Worth, NBC Select’s live podcast, NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson and I are talking about all things teeth. We’re sharing the most game-changing tips we’ve learned, our favorite dental care products and why we wish we religiously wore our retainers as teenagers.

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Episode transcript

LAUREN: Hi! Welcome back.

ZOE: Welcome back. I’m Zoe.

LAUREN: And I’m Lauren.

ZOE: And this is For What It’s Worth, teeth edition. Dental health.

LAUREN: Zoe’s favorite topic.

ZOE: It really is. We are very passionate about this on the NBC Select team. I think everybody has a lot of opinions about toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, whitening things. I mean I really never would have expected.

LAUREN: How many have you tested over the course of your NBC Select career? How many different teeth products have you tested?ZOE: I mean, hundreds, I think.

LAUREN: Hundreds?

ZOE: I’m pretty sure.

LAUREN: You even took a tour.

ZOE: Oh my God, I went to Colgate, which I have to tell you, was quite honestly one of the coolest things. I have never been in a lab like that, and I also didn’t know they produce toothpaste there, so it’s also a factory. It’s not the huge one that they make the majority of their products at. They basically make the products that they think are going to be the new ones, or test new formulations and all this stuff. I was blown away. I was like, Wow, this is very cool stuff. Did you ever watch those shows growing up about how things are made and how people create new inventions? I was so into that on YouTube, and that’s what I felt like when I was there.

LAUREN: Yes, you think that toothpaste comes off of a tree. You don’t think somebody’s doing R and D on it…

ZOE: Mixing powders..

LAUREN: Thinking about what’s the perfect mint.

ZOE: Well, that was my favorite part, because they have a…

LAUREN: Flavor tester?

ZOE: A mint team. Literally. People source mint from across the country. Their whole job is mint. Is that not the coolest thing ever?

LAUREN: That’s awesome.

ZOE: And we got to smell winter green versus peppermint, versus all these things.

LAUREN: What’s your favorite? What’s your go to mint?

ZOE: I like a sweet mint.

LAUREN: A sweet green.

ZOE; Yes, like a sweet mint. I don’t love a spicy peppermint. That’s not my vibe.

LAUREN: Not a cinnamon.

ZOE: But you like a minty toothpaste, right?

LAUREN: I like a minty toothpaste, but I don’t like a spicy mint, either. I’m not a cinnamon mint, or a strong peppermint. I like a fresh mint that makes it feel like a wind tunnel is in my mouth.

ZOE: That is exactly what I like, too. No spice. I don’t like alternative toothpaste flavors. I’m sorry. I know they’re cool right now, and they’re trendy, and people are coming out with them. Banana toothpaste? No. There’s yuzu toothpaste. No, I don’t like the whole thing. I don’t think my mouth will feel clean.

LAUREN: Well, I use toothpaste as an end cap at the end of the day. I’m done eating, I’m ready for bed. If I am brushing my teeth with food, and brushing with banana flavored toothpaste, I don’t know if my body will start to signal, oh my gosh, it’s nighttime.

ZOE: We’re going to bed now.

LAUREN: I also have a very strong olfactory, so if somebody did not brush their teeth…. And I do this all the time with my husband. He’ll come into bed after just eating something, and I’m like, Did you just have a protein bar? And he’s like, How did you know? I can smell it. Why am I not smelling fresh mint on your mouth?

ZOE: I understand that. It’s a sensitivity that you can’t compromise over. It’s unbearable. I agree with that. I completely understand. But I never would have thought I’d be our tooth expert. That was truly not something that I had any interest in.

LAUREN: A happy accident.

ZOE: It really is. And that’s one of the things I love about this job, is that you start to become very much an expert in these niche areas you didn’t necessarily think you’d ever know so much about. I know more about fluoride than your average Joe. And I think that’s pretty cool, I think. I have to say.

LAUREN: So tell me. Tell me about fluoride, the hot topic of the moment.

ZOE: Fluoride’s a hot topic. It is a hot topic, and it’s very important because it protects the enamel of your teeth. It re-mineralizes your teeth, so it makes the enamel stronger. Anti-cavity. There’s so many things about it that are so important. And I love when I talk to dentists about it, because it’s the number one thing that I don’t even have to ask. I often say, Oh, you know, this is the topic I wanted to chat about today. And they’re like, Okay, but first fluoride. I’m like, Okay, of course, of course, of course, of course. I never have to introduce it. They just start talking about fluoride. And I remember, when I was going to my pediatric dentist a million years ago — did you ever have that when they painted the fluoride on your teeth?

LAUREN: And you got to choose your flavor?

ZOE: Yes.

LAUREN: What flavor did you choose?

ZOE: I was mint. Never bubble gum. There was a cake batter one.

LAUREN: I think I experimented with another flavor there. I remember them doing a root beer.

ZOE: Root beer? Whoa.

LAUREN: Maybe like a watermelon. I think I might have, at one point, done a watermelon.

ZOE: I could see that.

LAUREN: Or a strawberry, or something like that. I think there was an age when I was like, Absolutely not, and into today, mint only.

ZOE: But that’s the number one thing they always want to say, no matter what the topic is. Honestly, even if what I’m talking about has nothing to do with fluoride, like — I’m trying to think — whitening toothpaste, for example, we will talk about it, but then a whitening strip, we won’t. But somehow it comes up. And they always say it’s one of the most well documented therapies in oral health. It’s so important. You need it. You need it. You need it. And I think it is so interesting that everybody that I talk about it with is so excited to explain to me why fluoride is so necessary. So we write about fluoride a lot.

LAUREN: What else have you learned in your dental care reporting?

ZOE: What else have I learned? One thing that I share with the team, and I know you’ve gone on your own journey, is flossing.

LAUREN: Yes.

ZOE: It is crucial. I know people think that it’s optional. I have sorry news: it is not. It is not optional. I’m a very passionate flosser. I floss multiple times a day.

LAUREN: That’s so good. You’re probably going to add years to your life because you’re a passionate flosser.

ZOE: I hope so. I went to the dentist, maybe in the winter, and they were like, You know, it’s very clear that you’re a good flosser.

LAUREN: I would have that stitched on a pillow if they said that to me. That’s my goal, for them to give me that type of praise.

ZOE: They were like, It’s clear that you’re a good flosser. I was like, Wait, I’m sorry, say that again. I need to hear it again.

LAUREN: Yes, this is now my voicemail.

ZOE: Yes, I need to be ready for it. This is the best compliment I’ve ever heard in my life. I told everyone. I’m like, Guys, did you know that my dentist told me that I’m a great flosser. Because it truly is. They were like, This is the number one thing we tell people to do, and they don’t do it.

LAUREN: Do I get two prizes from the treasure chest?

ZOE: I better. I better get two prizes.

LAUREN: For being a good flosser.

ZOE: Yes, seriously, I know. So that was one thing that, when I did that floss article years and years ago, they were like, I don’t care when you do it. I don’t care what type you use. Just do it.

LAUREN: But there is a right way to do it.

ZOE: There is. “Right”… kind of.

LAUREN: There’s a right order?

ZOE: Yes, kind of. So basically, what I was understanding from the internet about why this debate occurred, is because a lot of people were first wondering if you should do it in the morning or the night. And then people were wondering, brush first, then floss, then mouthwash? What’s the correct order? So, one of the tips that I got from a dentist was really that your best time of day to floss is during lunch time.

LAUREN: That’s interesting.

ZOE: I know, I thought so too. Because they were like, You have the protection from brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, but in the middle of the day, you don’t really have any protection. So you can use flossing as that midday check-in kind of, and then you kind of get the gunk out of your teeth with a toothbrush good enough at night. But if you’re going to do it at night, they said to brush first and get all the gunk on the surface, then floss, then mouthwash. But some people disagree.

LAUREN: I thought it was floss first to get the gunk out, brush the gunk away, and then wait before mouthwash, right?

ZOE: Well, yes, you have to wait 30 minutes before mouthwash.

LAUREN: Okay, that’s the part where you lost me.

ZOE: Yes, that’s the tough thing. I mean, I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t do that.

LAUREN: If I’m doing my dental routine, I’m doing it.

ZOE: Oh yes, me too.

LAUREN: If I have to come back in 30 minutes…

ZOE: Not happening.

LAUREN: You already lost me.

ZOE: I’ll be sleeping. I’ll be deep in TikTok. I agree with you. I know. But they did say that you do need to wait 30 minutes. And I was like, Oh, okay.

LAUREN: Then, I just won’t use mouthwash.

ZOE: I know. I was like, I don’t do that, but… I also learned at Colgate that the average person — you’re supposed to brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day. The average person barely makes it to half of two minutes. One minute is a miracle if someone makes it.

LAUREN: Really?

ZOE: Yes. And that’s why those electric toothbrushes with the timers are so huge, because it counts for you. I actually think those are fantastic. But they were saying that if you do every step, but you don’t do every step perfectly, at the end of the day, you’re getting better benefits than if you were doing two steps. Because at least you’re getting a little bit of everything. You’re not getting as much of everything as they’d like you to get, but you’re getting a little bit of everything along the way. I thought that was a nice way to think about it, because, you know, you’re recognizing that not everyone’s going to be obsessed with their teeth like I am, but you get a little bit of everything.

LAUREN: It’s better to do something than nothing, I think, when it comes to oral care. Obviously, you should be doing the whole thing to some level, but something is better than nothing. If you’re like, Listen, I’m sick. I can’t do anything else than just brush my teeth right now. Brush your teeth.

ZOE: Yes, it is what it is.

LAUREN: But that’s my two cents. I’m not an expert.

ZOE: No, I agree with you. That’s what they said. They said as long as you’re getting a little bit of everything, and then you’re working harder on the days that you can, or you’re doing all the right things, maybe you’re doing it once a week or whatever…

LAUREN: You’re getting your six month check in.

ZOE: Exactly. If you’re doing it as much as you can, they would appreciate that. And I was like, That’s a nice way to think about it. I do appreciate that.

LAUREN: You told me how often you’re supposed to swap out your toothbrush.

ZOE: Yes.

LAUREN: And I was shamed.

ZOE: Every three months.

LAUREN: I do it every six.

ZOE No!

LAUREN: I know. I know, I know. But when they give me that little goodie bag at the end of my cleaning and I get a fresh new toothpaste that has the dentist, or the fresh new toothbrush that has the dentist name on it…

ZOE: Don’t you love that?

LAUREN: I’m like, Perfect. They should give you really two toothbrushes, and then I’d swap it out every three months.

ZOE: I agree with you. But no, every three months, so you need to do it twice within that six-month period.

LAUREN: And also after you’re sick.

ZOE: Yes, that is so important, and I don’t think people do that enough.

LAUREN: I do that, actually.

ZOE: Oh, I do. I’m very on it about that.

LAUREN: I find it disgusting to be like, I just had germs, coughing, sneezing, and then I’m going to use the same thing that was in my mouth? When I was marathon training the first year, I was so paranoid about getting sick that two-week, three-week window before the race. And I remember my husband accidentally used my toothbrush…

ZOE: Crime.

LAUREN: And I could tell because it was wet, and I lost it.

ZOE: You’re like, I’m already high strung right now. How dare you? I would have been so upset.

LAUREN: Yes. I was like, If I get sick in the next three weeks, it’s your fault because your nasty mouth was using my tooth. He was like, Chill.

ZOE: And you’re like, No, this is actually an offense.

LAUREN: And I didn’t get sick. He was fine, but…

ZOE: But the thought of it.

LAUREN: There’s something that just grosses me out. I will not share toothbrushes.

ZOE: No, I completely understand that. I really do. I get it. I am not into that at all. People do that. People share toothbrushes.That makes me sick.

LAUREN: I think that’s gross.

ZOE: And then the other thing that I feel like readers were more interested in than I expected was mouthwash. I was actually surprised by how much interest there was around mouthwash, and I think the main reason why is because people are like, Is this necessary or not? And at the end of the day, basically, dentists were saying that there are mouthwashes that just freshen your breath, and are those good? Sure, if that’s what you want. Those are cosmetic mouthwashes. But then the ones that have fluoride, that add that extra layer of protection to your teeth, especially if you’re not brushing for the two minutes, those are where all the benefits are. And I never really knew the difference, honestly, before I talked to them about it, and I thought that was such an interesting way to break it down: the cosmetic ones versus the therapeutic ones that genuinely are beneficial and do something. But like you said, you’ve got to wait the 30 minutes after you brush your teeth, or else you’re basically washing all of the fluoride from your toothpaste away. So it’s like a little bit of a mind game, actually, because you’re like, Wait, I think I’m doing everything right, and then someone’s like, Actually, you’re not right. You’re doing it kind of right, but also you’re getting nothing out of this.

LAUREN: Talk to me about whitening toothpaste, because you have thoughts on that, too.

ZOE: Yes, whitening toothpaste is not my favorite. I don’t think it’s any dentist’s favorite either. I’ve never gotten a positive response about whitening toothpaste. A lot of the time they’re like, To get benefits, whitening benefits, you have to do an in-person, in the dentist’s office treatment, because it really is the strongest one. You can’t get anything close to that over-the-counter. And so if you want the real benefits of whitening and no more stains and prolonged benefits so even in six months from now, your teeth still look a little bit whiter than they did, you have to do that at the dentist’s office. So whitening toothpaste, out of all the whitening things you could buy to use at-home, though, is the lowest concentration. So it’s kind of doing nothing. It’s a little bit more abrasive, so it can get those stains off your teeth a little bit more than regular toothpaste. Is it really doing a lot? No, it’s really not. The whitening strips are the best option if you’re going to do it at home. And then I think one of the coolest options is, you can actually get at a dentist’s office a retainer made, and it’s not as fancy of a retainer as you get after you have braces or something like that. And then they send you home with their, medical-grade is not the right word for it, but stronger concentrated than over-the-counter gel, and you can use that at home. And they were like, that, if you’re going to do anything at home, is the one you should do. But I feel like our team, we are big whitestrips fans.

LAUREN: Yes, all the time.

ZOE: The Crest Whitestrips? I’m sorry, they work. I like them for a quick little fix.

LAUREN: But follow those instructions, because in high school, I thought, Oh, the longer I keep them on my teeth, the whiter my teeth are going to be. My teeth felt like they had veins in them or something the next day. They were nearly translucent. I could feel them. I could feel the heartbeat in my teeth.

ZOE: I hate that feeling. I absolutely hate that feeling. No, that’s true.

LAUREN: They’re painful just sitting there. You don’t even have to eat ice cream for them to be painful. It’s like, I was sitting in Spanish class being like, My teeth hurt.

ZOE: My teeth are pulsing. I get it. They always say, if it says 30 minutes, it does not mean an hour. It means 30 minutes for a reason.

LAUREN: It does not mean overnight, Lauren. Teenage Lauren.

ZOE: I forgot that you did that. Oh my God, that’s crazy.

LAUREN: I’m surprised I didn’t choke on a Whitestrip.

ZOE: Listen, they’re grippy. They stay on. People are always like, I don’t know if they’re going to slip off. No, not these.

LAUREN: You know what I just got from the dentist? A night guard.

ZOE: Okay, I was going to get one as well. It is so funny that you say that.

LAUREN: I was bamboozled. Well, not bamboozled. This really was something that I needed because at my last dentist appointment — which I am religious about going to, I love going to the dentist — she goes, You’re grinding your teeth to stubs. She goes, Your vampires are gone. And they’re really not. I keep feeling them. I’m like, They’re not really that gone.

ZOE: Maybe she was exaggerating.

LAUREN: But there’s one. On the left side I must be grinding harder because that vampire has definitely gotten flattered. And so she convinced me to get a night guard.

ZOE: Which are not cheap.

LAUREN: They’re not cheap, but cheaper than I thought.

ZOE: Really? I thought they were more.

LAUREN: Well, because previously, this is not the first time that they’ve told me I needed a night guard. It’s just the first time I listened. Previous times, I was like, Okay, I’m not going to do your fancy thing. I’m just going to go get an over-the-counter, one of those at-home ones. This appointment, she was like, Do not do the at-home one.

ZOE: Really?

LAUREN: At least my dentist said that they could end up doing more harm than good.

ZOE: Yes, I’ve heard that too.

LAUREN: So I splurged and got the medical one.

ZOE: I think I’m going to do it, too.

LAUREN: I thought it was like a retainer, that it’s the two pieces. It’s just one, and it’s massive, and because it goes all the way back I’m choking on this night guard at night.

ZOE: It takes getting used to.

LAUREN: And then I’m waking up in the middle of the night being like, I just want to take this night guard out. But I’m grinding my vampires to stubs.

ZOE: I hear it in my head, she said that.

LAREN: I hear it in my head, like, I really need that.

ZOE: I know. I feel like I never wanted to write about or know about anything dental health related because I had braces so young. I think I was in fourth grade.

LAUREN: You were the cool kid in fourth grade.

ZOE: “Cool.”

LAUREN: In fourth grade, it’s cool.

ZOE: I don’t know.

LAUREN: Did I ever tell you how I used to take a bracelet that had little square gems on it, and I would wrap them around my tooth. And I would do it with paper clips too, because the cool kids in fourth grade had retainers and braces.

ZOE: Well, I would have been cool in your school, but maybe not mine.

LAUREN: You would have been the most popular girl. The belle of the ball.

ZOE: You’re healing my inner child right now. I love hearing that. I have vivid pictures of that.

LAUREN: I think I had rust marks on my teeth from this bracelet that probably just had lead in it. I can still taste it in my mouth.

ZOE: The chemicals leaching into your teeth.

LAUREN: But I’m cool now, right?

ZOE: Like, you accept me now?

LAUREN: So you had braces in fourth grade.

ZOE: I had braces in fourth grade, and then I had them for four years. I had them for a while. And then I got them off, and I was good about my retainer for a year, maybe. And then I’m like, Who needs this? No, no, you do. You need that.

LAUREN: It’s a tale as old as time.

ZOE: And then my teeth shifted a little bit, but I wouldn’t say very noticeably. And then I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if it was 2020 and the world was just off its axis, but my teeth, literally, I woke up one morning, and I was like, What is happening? They looked genuinely like I never had braces before. I was horrified. And so then I had Invisalign for two years, and now, I kid you not, if I was on an airplane and I realized I forgot my retainer, I would be like, You need to ground this plane. I need to go get my retainer. I would be like, I cannot. I simply cannot sleep without this retainer.

LAUREN: Braces are wasted on the youth.

ZOE: I agree with you.

LAUREN: If I had braces now — there’s so many things that are wasted on the youth.

ZOE: Factual.

LAUREN: If I had braces now, the way that I would take care of my teeth after is so different than the way that I took care of my teeth post braces in eighth grade, or whatever it was.

ZOE: Because you don’t want anyone telling you what to do, and it’s uncomfortable, and you’re like, This isn’t worth it. This is stupid.

LAUREN: Like, I don’t have to do that.

ZOE: No, no, give it a decade. Give it a decade.

LAUREN: These adults don’t know.

ZOE: Well, I had a teacher in middle school who had braces for almost my entire middle school career, and then right before I graduated middle school, she got them off. She had the most stunning teeth you’d ever seen in your life. And I literally thought to myself, Why did I have braces in fourth grade? I should have done this. This is stupid.

LAUREN: Fourth grade is also — I mean, you had it for four years. So what, you got them off in middle school?

ZOE: Yes, middle school.

LAUREN: So you went through the struggle a little bit, but maybe in eighth grade you were a little bit more likely to wear retainers.

ZOE: No, I wasn’t.

LAUREN: I certainly was not. I did for a little bit, I was good about it. And then just that one time you don’t wear them, and then you’re like…

ZOE: I never need that again.

LAUREN: You know what, this is fine. And then after you go a month, or whatever, without wearing them, you can’t pop that thing back in your mouth.

ZOE: No. That is when you realized I might have made a little bit of a mistake.

LAUREN: That’s what happened to me. I got so much congestion in the bottom of my bottom teeth. My top teeth are fine, I think. But they try to bamboozle me into getting Invisalign for my bottom teeth.

ZOE: Wear your retainer, people.

LAUREN: I think it’s only a matter of a couple of appointments before I just bite the bullet and do it.

ZOE: I was like, First of all, this is easier than I thought. Is it a little annoying? Sure, but it works. I was very skeptical. I have to say, I was skeptical. But it works so well. And I was so happy about that. But I mean, listen: brush your teeth, wear your retainer and floss.

LAUREN: That’s all you’ve got to do.

ZOE: That’s all you’ve got to do.

LAUREN: And you’ll live longer, according to the experts that we talked to.

ZOE: And don’t do crazy experimental things either. According to the experts that we talked to, no charcoal on your teeth, no purple toothpaste, no apple cider vinegar concoctions, no. Just get stuff at the pharmacy that has the American Dental Association Sale of Acceptance, and you will be on your way to beautiful, perfect teeth forever.

LAUREN: Go to your six month check in. Cleaning. Whatever it is.

ZOE: Yes, seriously, it is so important. So that’s my thoughts on dental care.

LAUREN: I have would you rathers for you.

ZOE: Amazing.

LAUREN: I feel like these ones will be good because…

ZOE: I’m so passionate. I am the resident dentist.

LAUREN: You are our resident dentist.

ZOE: I really feel proud to be the NBC Select resident dentist.

LAUREN: Would you rather never floss again, but have to brush five times a day, or floss five times a day, but only brush once?

ZOE: I feel like I already brush, I mean floss, five times a day.

LAUREN: I keep them at my desk.

ZOE: Me too.

LAUREN: I love it. Now that I’m on my flossing journey, I can feel when I haven’t flossed in a while.

ZOE: Oh, absolutely. I’m a picker floss person, not a thread floss person.

LAUREN: I am, too. I get the compostable ones, or the biodegradable ones, and I just keep them everywhere.

ZOE: I love those. Me too.

LAUREN: And I get that some dentists say that the thread is a little bit better, but ultimately, I’m doing it right. What more do you want from me?

ZOE: Right, that’s what matters most. I get those picker things in a pack of 10 on Prime Day, or another sale, and I put them in every bag, in my desk, at home. They belong everywhere, in my opinion.

LAUREN: Yes, especially after lunch. Would you rather use a manual toothbrush forever, or an electric toothbrush that always runs out of battery halfway through?

ZOE: Oh, a manual toothbrush.

LAUREN: Are you an electric toothbrush user?

ZOE: I am, but when it runs out of battery, I’m angry. I’m like, This is dumb.

LAUREN: It’s like an escalator that doesn’t work. Like, it’s still stairs, but it’s not the same thing.

ZOE: It’s not the same, and it’s annoying. So I would have to go manual in that instance.

LAUREN: I’m a manual toothbrush person. I just don’t like charging things. I’m a bad charger.

ZOE: I get that. It is kind of annoying.

LAUREN: Like a skincare tool that I need to charge. I really don’t want to charge electronics a ton. Chad’s got this one thing, it’s like a sleep headband, and he adores it, and I just refuse to use it because I refuse to charge it.

ZOE: I understand that.

LAUREN: I’m like, I just want to go to bed. I don’t want to charge a headband to help me fall asleep. Would you rather use mouthwash that burns intensely for 10 minutes, or one that tastes like pickle juice, but works instantly.

ZOE: Pickle juice. I don’t think I can handle the burning for 10 minutes.

LAUREN: I like a little burn. I think I’d be okay with burning for 10 minutes. As long as it’s still safe and minty, I’d be okay with that. Would you rather have something stuck in your teeth during social events, or always have toothpaste on the corner of your mouth?

ZOE: Oh, that’s hard. Well, could it be stuck in the back of my teeth?

LAUREN: No, it has to be stuck in between your two front teeth and it’s dark and it’s green,

ZOE: I mean, maybe the toothpaste.

LAUREN: I’d be so irritated by that.

ZOE: Me too. But maybe it wouldn’t look as bad as green.

LAUREN: As long as I didn’t feel the thing stuck in between my teeth, I think I would go with that option. I’d also get a cavity, I feel like.

ZOE: That’s true. I hate when toothpaste gets everywhere. I hate it. When it gets on your bathroom counter, when it gets on your pajamas. No. It drives me insane.

LAUREN: I feel like I’m constantly wiping up blue toothpaste off of the floor, off the sink, off the mirror. I don’t know how it gets everywhere.

LAUREN: Would you rather brush your teeth with hot sauce once a week, or floss with spaghetti noodles every day?

ZOE: How could you floss with spaghetti noodles?

LAUREN: I don’t know.

ZOE: But I’m into it. I mean, if I had to. I could not brush my teeth with hot sauce. I could not. I would not do well.

LAUREN: Yes, I’d do spaghetti noodles.

LAUREN: Would you rather get a free dental cleaning every week, but it takes two hours, or only once a year, but it takes two minutes? I’m going every week for two hours.

ZOE: I think so. I would have to as well.

LAUREN: That would be the highlight of my week. I love the dentist.

ZOE: I mean, listen, my dentist has a TV above you.

LAUREN: Do we go to the same dentist? Mine does too.

ZOE: We might.

LAUREN: We might. What do you watch?

ZOE: Food Network. Cooking shows.

LAUREN: I watch cooking shows too. I watch baking shows. I’m like, I know that they’re judging me. They’re like, I hope she’s not eating a cupcake after this.

ZOE: But I have been to multiple dentists in my life, and most of the dentists have had cooking shows on. My mom and I talk about this often. I was like, Did you realize that every time we go to the dentist, wherever dentist, whatever dentist we’ve ever been to, that they always have cooking shows on? She’s like, Yes, I did notice that. Isn’t that fascinating? Honestly, it’s very relaxing, in my opinion.

LAUREN: I find it relaxing too. I think I chose it because it was what was on, And I felt like it was the least judgmental option. Like, if I put on a random show, I wouldn’t want them to be like, She’s watching this show? So it feels like a safe option.

ZOE: I agree with you.

LAUREN: Classic, they’re not saying anything that’s crazy.

ZOE: And everyone likes food, so I’m sure that they’re entertained as well. I would agree with you — that is my dentist show of choice. I love it. Perfect.

ZOE: Well, thank you for joining us to talk about oral care, one of my very favorite topics ever. And yours too, honestly.

LAUREN: I love it too. I love the dentist. I’ll say it again.

ZOE: All right, see ya.

LAUREN: Bye.

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m a reporter at NBC Select and I co-host our live podcast, For What It’s Worth, with editorial director Lauren Swanson. In this article, I summarize Episode 7: Everything to Know About Oral Health. I included a summary of the episode, a transcript, products we recommend during the podcast and related articles.