Oral hygiene as hygge
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Actually Good Things is a weekly newsletter with curated product recs from a real human woman who’s tried and tested a trillion things.
This week—amid satisfaction of more people coming around to Amanda Knox’s innocence (hi, welcome) and disappointment that Starbucks didn’t release its protein cold foam with the PSL—I’m contemplating my oral hygiene.
These are actually good things I use to clean my mouth, prevent cavities, and earn praise from my dentist.*
A Toothbrush That’s Not Doing Too Much
I’ve tried a lot of electric toothbrushes. Many are honestly just more high-tech than they need to be—like, I don’t wanna pull up an app on my phone for AI-led brushing guidance. This one is simple and slim (roughly the size of a manual toothbrush), with a battery that lasts three months and charges with an iPhone charger. Under 30 bucks too!
Toothpaste That Sparks Joy
While I’m partial to a pared-down toothbrush, I do find joy in fancy toothpastes. Linhart is nice, but I also like this slightly less sexy vanilla-mint one. Of course, there’s no real health reason to spend more than a few bucks on a tube of toothpaste. Crest’s Regular Paste always slaps—a reliable formula with an unabashedly basic name. But it’s gotta be fluoride, guys. I’m with the American Dental Association on this one.
Floss Like You’re a Dentist’s Daughter
I’ve purchased these double-thread flosser picks from Amazon 26 times. As an oral hygiene aficionado, I like to keep a couple other options in my drawer. This sleeker-than-necessary black floss is a current fav.
Wallet-Friendly Water Flossing
A water flosser absolutely doesn’t need to be expensive or smart. It just has to have decent spraying power and last at least a few uses between charges. I like this one because it’s under $25 and collapses to half its size. (I’d probably never bring a water flosser on a trip but appreciate the compact storage.)
A Very Serious Retainer Cleaner
Zima is a brand that takes itself very seriously. It shames other retainer-cleaning methods on its Instagram stories and boasts a patent-pending heat and vibrational technology that apparently works better than other machines. I don’t know if I buy all that, but I did buy the cleaning pod. It gets the job done, and the modern design isn’t an eyesore if it doesn’t get put away.
A Backup Supply of Manual Brushes (for Mental Health)
I use a manual toothbrush for travel and quick mid-day brushes. It’s always good to have extra on hand for guests or kids too. Come to think of it, having lots of extras stashed somewhere in my home is a comforting feeling—or at least knowing the number of backups is greater than zero. Anyway, these are my favorite—they’re ugly but have uniquely good bristles. I also like the look and feel of these oh-so-soft Swiss toothbrushes.
And, as mentioned, Rembrandt makes my absolute favorite teeth-whitening strips.
I know what you’re thinking: This stuff doesn’t need to be beautiful—and you’re right! And yet, romanticizing daily habits with small luxuries can make life more delightful.
*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission.
What I’ve written lately:
The Daily Beast | Is Wearable Tech Making Us Healthier—or Just More Neurotic?
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What I’m reading lately:
BoyMom by Ruth Whippman
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TIL that fancy toothpaste exists!
Dentist here. I have no notes, this is great advice.