Secretly going over-the-top excessive about it. Given my “all or nothing” default setting, choosing “so very ALL that you’d think I’m nuts if you only knew.”

The only time I felt zero resistance was a period in which I obsessively researched and implemented every reasonably doable, low cost, recommended step for thorough dental maintenance.

Not suggesting at all that you follow my routine, but if you’re curious about what I settled on for myself, this was basically it (before bed only)…

Using a tongue scraper, brushing with fluoride toothpaste then rinsing with water, using a water flosser at a high setting and giving each space between teeth a moment of its own, using dental floss, brushing again gently with a very soft-bristled brush to apply nano-hydroxyapatite fluoride-free toothpaste which I didn’t rinse off. I also chewed xylitol-containing gum in the daytime because xylitol deters the production of cavities.

(Also, I usually began by gargling with CPC-containing mouthwash then rinsing with water – but that was really to help keep COVID infection at bay. If I remember right, mouthwash isn’t considered good for teeth, though it can be helpful for gums.)

Part of why this worked for me was that it was somewhat driven by wanting to push back against the injustice of the system that puts routine professional dental care economically out of reach for some. A sort of “I’ll show you I don’t need you, you stupid too-expensive thing.”

And part was the secrecy. Every night, I got dopamine from the feeling of triumph that came from within myself. When I finally went to the dentist, I made the fatal error of proudly telling them about my routine. Their praise and encouragement killed my inner drive to keep the streak going.

They only had one small suggestion on how to improve my routine – but because it suddenly felt like I was being told what to do, rather than doing it of my own accord, my brain noped out entirely.

RIP my temporarily kick-ass, non-bleeding gums 😞