I Hate the Dentist—These TikTok Hacks Help Prevent Extra Visits

Here’s my truth: I would rather unpack emotional baggage than open wide for a dental cleaning. To make matters worse, my teeth are genetically engineered for drama. Cavities? Every time. Sensitivity? Of course. And while I’d invest in a seven-step Korean skincare lineup without a second thought and religiously gua sha my jawline, I used to draw the line at floss. But then I fell into a very specific TikTok rabbit hole—DentalTok, if you will. Apparently, there is a correct order to cleaning your mouth. And apparently, rinsing after brushing is a rookie mistake?

Since switching up my oral hygiene routine and adding a few low-maintenance steps, I’ve cut back on cavities and survived two dentist visits without a guilt trip from the dude who asks me questions while he’s elbow deep in my mouth. If you’re a fellow dentist-avoider or just want to feel smug about your routine, here’s what worked for me.

1. Facing the floss (finally)

Let’s start with the task I used to avoid at all costs: flossing. I was a chronic non-flosser, and my go-to strategy—panic-flossing the night before an appointment—was fooling no one. The dentist always knew. But once I got my hands on a water flosser, everything changed. No more bloody gums, no more hygienist lectures, and no more excuses.

Dr. Joyce Kahng (@joycethedentist on TikTok) recommends water flossing as a gentle yet effective way to clean between your teeth without irritating your gums. After spending an embarrassing amount of time scouring hundreds of reviews, I landed on this COSLUS water flosser because it has a few different tip options and 10 pressure settings (I didn’t want to go full-on fire hose right away). I love it so much I bought the mini to keep in my travel bag. My dentist did warn me that it’s not a full-on replacement for traditional string floss, so I keep both in rotation—but the water flosser is now a non-negotiable in my daily lineup.

2. Taking brushing to the next level

After watching several TikToks from dental professionals, I realized I was doing the most basic step in my routine—brushing—all wrong. God bless Tefi’s mystery dentist, who passed along this metaphor: Treat toothpaste like lotion. You wouldn’t wash off your moisturizer immediately, right? Same deal. That stuck like glue to my beauty-obsessed brain. I was rinsing off all the benefits before they could even start working. Now I brush, spit, and walk away. No rinse. No water.

I also upgraded my old plastic toothbrush to a sleek electric sonic toothbrush from COSLUS that instantly provided a noticeably deeper clean with less effort. It’s effective, affordable, and doesn’t look ugly standing on my bathroom counter. I started looking forward to brushing, which is something I never thought I’d say.

3. Introducing a tongue scraper

This is the step I didn’t know I needed until a dentist on TikTok called the tongue a “bacteria carpet.” Yikes. I’ve since added a quick tongue scrape to my morning routine and haven’t looked back. It’s low-effort, oddly satisfying, and makes my mouth feel cleaner than any mouthwash ever has.

Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri (@drshaadimanouchehri) explains that tongue scraping helps reduce bacteria that cause bad breath and cavities. Bonus: It only takes five seconds.

4. Exploring at-home upgrades

I get it—’fun’ isn’t usually the word people use for brushing their teeth. But hear me out. Once I mastered the basics, I started layering in little upgrades that made my oral care routine feel less like maintenance and more like a ritual. Think of it as self-care for your smile. Whether I’m gearing up for a big wedding weekend or just trying to keep red wine from setting up camp on my enamel, these are the go-to extras.

I’m not saying I look forward to the dentist now, but I don’t dread it the way I used to. Thanks to DentalTok and a few low-effort upgrades, I actually feel in control of my oral health for once—and I’m no longer nervously sweating through my six-month cleanings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paige Cushman, Branded Content Editor

From small community newspapers to country music marketing, Paige has found the most fulfillment in finding and sharing the uniquely human stories that compel an audience. As a Branded Content Editor at The Everygirl, she is able to combine her excitement about women’s issues and pop culture with her editorial skills to create quality content for our brand partners.

This post contains a sponsored inclusion of COSLUS but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.

Feature graphic images credited to: Taylor Nicole | Dupe , @joycethedentist | TikTok