Best Oral Care Products: What I Use and the Order I Use It In

The best oral care products are an electric toothbrush, a fluoride toothpaste, floss or another tool for between your teeth, and a tongue scraper. That base kit covers most people. I add a water flosser, mouthwash, or fluoride varnish only for a specific risk, like gum disease, cavities, or bad breath.

My Oral Care Kit at a Glance

I pick each product for the job it does, then look at how well the research backs it up.

My Nightly Routine, in Order

My base routine at night is tongue scraping, flossing, and brushing. For many people, that combination alone is all they need. Everything else customizes it for your highest risk, and that can change through your life.

1. Scrape your tongue. Before or after brushing is fine.
2. Floss between every tooth.
3. Use a water flosser if you're prone to gum disease.
4. Rinse with mouthwash if bad breath is your concern. Check the pH and avoid anything acidic.
5. Brush for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.
6. Let a xylitol tablet dissolve last thing at night if you have dry mouth.

In the morning, scrape your tongue and brush again.

1. Electric Toothbrush

Best for: everyone, and especially anyone who brushes half-asleep.

An electric toothbrush is the first upgrade I'd make. Most people think they brush for two minutes, but if you time yourself, it's often way less. A built-in timer fixes that.

Those two minutes matter. Most people brush for about 45 seconds, and stretching to two minutes removes about a quarter more plaque.

Electric brushes remove more plaque and cut gum inflammation more than manual brushes, and the difference held up over months of use. Over 11 years, adults who used one kept more of their teeth and had less tooth decay.

Even if your technique is good, it won't be perfect when you're half-asleep in the morning. An electric brush keeps the motion consistent and makes it easier to clean along the gumline.

My picks:

• Philips Sonicare DiamondClean: I've always been a Sonicare girlie. The sonic vibrations clean well between teeth and along the gums, and the slimmer heads reach the back of my upper molars.
• Oral-B iO: It's great for contouring around the gumline. Its pressure sensor is more sensitive and gives you positive feedback, and the handle shows how long you've been brushing.
• Burst: My budget pick, with ultra-gentle bristles and a brush head subscription.
• Manual: If you stay manual, choose extra-soft bristles. A three-sided brush like the Collis Curve is on my list for braces.

A higher price just adds more bells and whistles, and it doesn't make the toothbrush itself better. The features that matter on most electric toothbrushes for adults are a two-minute timer and a pressure sensor.

2. Fluoride Toothpaste

Best for: everyone, and prescription strength if you get cavities often.

Fluoride is the ingredient with the strongest evidence in your bathroom. Brushing with it prevents about a quarter of new cavities compared with toothpaste that has none.

My everyday tube is Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening. It has 0.25% sodium fluoride, 5% potassium nitrate for sensitivity, and no sodium lauryl sulfate. If sensitivity is your main issue, the best toothpaste for sensitive teeth depends on which active ingredient you need.

If you're cavity-free without fluoride, I'm fine with that. If you get cavities, use it, and ask your dentist about a prescription 5,000 ppm paste.

Flavor matters only because it decides whether you'll brush for the full two minutes, so pick a good-tasting toothpaste that has fluoride.

3. Floss and Interdental Tools

Best for: everyone with teeth that touch.

My go-to is still traditional string floss. Your toothbrush can't reach between your teeth, and that's where cavities and gum inflammation often start.

Flossing on top of brushing may calm gum inflammation more than brushing alone, and small interdental brushes may do it better than floss. The research on home cleaning tools is limited, so treat these as the best available answers.

• String floss for tight contacts. Cocofloss and EEZ-Thru are on my list, and the right floss for tight teeth won't shred.
• Interdental brushes like Piksters for wider gaps, gum recession or the space under a bridge.
• Rubber picks like GUM Soft-Picks if string floss frustrates you.
• Floss threaders like Oral-B Super Floss for bridges, braces and a permanent retainer.

Flossing technique matters more than the brand. Curve the floss into a C-shape around each tooth and slide it just under the gumline. Some bleeding in the first week is common, and the right floss for bleeding gums is gentler.

Electric Flossers

I used to hate electric flossers, but people have manual dexterity problems. The Slate flosser uses soft silicone "gum sweeps" that wrap the tooth in a C-shape and sweep along and just under the gumline.

It's a no-brainer upgrade if you:

• Only use floss picks now
• Have limited dexterity or struggle to reach your back teeth
• Find string floss frustrating
• Rarely floss because it's a hassle

The best flossing tool is the one you'll use consistently.

4. Water Flosser

Best for: people prone to gum disease, and anyone with implants, bridges or braces.

A water flosser goes alongside floss. It can't reach the tight spaces between your teeth where flossing is necessary, and those are the spots where cavities form.

I love a water pick. Water flossers can sometimes be better at cleaning the gums than floss, mainly because most people don't use dental floss correctly.

The research is thin. A water flosser may reduce gum inflammation in the first month, but it didn't remove more plaque than brushing alone. That's why I recommend one for a specific risk, not for everyone.

• Bridges: threading floss under a bridge is cumbersome. A water flosser is easier.
• Implants: the water stream irrigates around them well.
• Pressure settings: you don't need several. One setting that feels comfortable is enough for everyday use.

My picks:

• Waterpik countertop models, like the Aquarius or ION, for home.
• Quip: it offers a continuous stream or on-demand flow, so you have more control and less mess.
• Burst for travel: it's simple to use and holds a charge well.

If you're deciding where to spend first, the toothbrush vs Waterpik choice comes out in favor of the toothbrush.

5. Tongue Scraper

Best for: everyone, especially if you deal with bad breath or a coated tongue.

I scrape my tongue morning and night with a two-handled stainless steel scraper. Two handles give you more control than one. My favorite is Dr. Tung's, which costs under $10.

Stainless steel lasts. I've never had to replace mine, while plastic scrapers need replacing every three months, like a toothbrush.

• Start at the back and pull forward over the whole surface.
• Use gentle pressure. Seeing blood means you're scraping too hard.
• Leave a little film. The goal is a gentle daily exfoliation of dead cells and debris.
• Work back gradually if you gag. With practice, you'll reach farther.

A tongue turning white, black, or brown is a sign of debris buildup that needs cleaning. If a white tongue won't clear with daily scraping, see your dentist.

Adding tongue cleaning to brushing cuts bad-breath compounds and tongue coating more than brushing alone. In another study, wiping from back to front mattered more than the tool. That's why brushing your tongue with a toothbrush is a fine backup when you don't have a scraper.

6. Mouthwash

Best for: bad breath, dry mouth, or high cavity risk. Most people can skip it.

I recommend a mouthwash for a specific problem, and I check the pH first. Nothing acidic.

• Elementa: my top pick. The Elementa mouth rinse uses nano silver, calcium and xylitol, and comes in Wintermint and Bubble Gum. It's fluoride-free, so I use it before fluoride, which helps the fluoride penetrate the biofilm. I have a discount code with Elementa: JOYCE20 takes 20% off.
• TheraBreath: good for bad breath, but not my choice for strengthening enamel. I've partnered with TheraBreath in the past.
• ACT: if you want to use ACT, that's fine. I just don't think it's the best.
• Chlorhexidine: a prescription rinse. It's part of my protocol, but I really don't like that rinse for long-term usage.

Chlorhexidine cuts plaque sharply but stains teeth after about four weeks, and it can change how food tastes. Antiseptic rinses in general reduce plaque and gum bleeding when you add them to brushing and flossing.

A rinse never replaces floss, which is the short answer to floss vs mouthwash. For specific needs, the best mouthwash for bad breath and an alcohol-free mouthwash for dry mouth are good starting points.

7. Extras for Specific Needs

• Dry mouth: XyliMelts at night and Spry xylitol gum during the day. Xylitol keeps saliva flowing without feeding cavity-causing bacteria.
• Retainers and aligners: Retainer Brite tablets for soaking, plus a daily brush, since soaking alone won't fully clean retainers.
• Whitening: Opalescence Go 15% trays are what I use at home.

Fluoride Varnish at Your Cleaning

I'm a big proponent of topical fluoride varnish right after a dental cleaning. Your teeth are cleaned, and the biofilm has just been removed, so why not have the fluoride varnish?

In kids and teens, varnish prevents about four in ten new cavities in permanent teeth. There's less research in adults, and I still recommend it for anyone who's cavity-prone. Ask your hygienist for it at your next visit, and ask how long to wait to eat after a dental cleaning with varnish on.

Products I'd Skip

Red flags

• Nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste. When you look at the mechanism, it doesn't do what it's marketed for.
• Tubes that combine fluoride and nano-hydroxyapatite. Having both makes the formula worse than either one alone.
• Baking soda pastes, if you're cavity-prone. They interfere with remineralization.
• Chlorhexidine for months on end. It stains teeth and changes taste.
• Acidic mouthwashes. Look for the pH on the label or the brand's site.
• At-home ultrasonic scalers. I wouldn't invest in one, and the best teeth cleaner for hardened tartar is still a professional cleaning.

The 2-2-2 Rule

The 2-2-2 rule means brushing twice a day, for two minutes each time, and seeing your dentist twice a year. It's a good minimum. Add daily flossing and tongue scraping, and expect more frequent visits if you have gum disease.

What Kills Plaque on Teeth Naturally?

Nothing natural kills plaque in place. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria, so it has to be broken up and removed with a brush, floss, and a tongue scraper.

Oil pulling has a mild antimicrobial effect at most, and it doesn't replace brushing. Once plaque hardens into tartar, removing tartar takes a professional cleaning.

What If Scenarios

What If I Have Braces or Aligners?

Use floss threaders or a water flosser around the brackets, and a three-sided brush to reach around them. Soak aligners and retainers in a cleaner like Retainer Brite.

What If I Have Implants or a Bridge?

Add a water flosser and an interdental brush. Threading floss under a bridge is cumbersome, and the water stream irrigates around implants well.

What If My Gums Bleed When I Floss?

Keep flossing gently every day, because bleeding is a sign of inflammation from plaque. If it continues after two weeks of daily cleaning, see your dentist.

What If I Have Dry Mouth?

Choose an SLS-free toothpaste, an alcohol-free rinse, and xylitol products. A dry mouth raises your cavity risk, so fluoride matters more.

What If I Keep Getting Cavities Even Though I Brush?

Ask about a prescription fluoride toothpaste and varnish at every cleaning. Rinsing with Elementa before your fluoride may help the fluoride reach through the biofilm.

What If I'm on a Budget?

A soft manual brush, floss, a stainless steel tongue scraper, and a fluoride toothpaste cover the basic routine for very little. Burst is my budget electric pick when you're ready to upgrade.

What to Do Next

Start with the base routine for two weeks: an electric toothbrush, floss, and a tongue scraper every night. At your next cleaning, ask for fluoride varnish and which add-on fits your risk.

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Sources

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Written and reviewed by Dr. Joyce Kahng, DDS

Dr. Joyce Kahng is a cosmetic dentist, veneer expert, and the founder of Orange + Magnolia Dental Studio in Costa Mesa, CA. With 16+ years in practice and a following of 1.5M+ across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, she's known for making dentistry actually make sense. She's been featured in Forbes, Vogue, Allure, Glamour and GQ, and is the creator of the VeneerLIFT™.

Our editorial process · written by Dr. Kahng, corrected in the open.