Dr.-Michelle-Jorgensen-Living-Well-with-Dr.-Michelle

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen
Topics:
Holistic Health and Wellness
Tooth Remineralization Guide

The Secrets of Effective Teeth Cleaning: A Holistic Dentist's Guide
The secrets of effective teeth cleaning, a holistic dentist's guide

I have treated tens of thousands of patients, and here is what I have learned: almost everyone brushes, but most people could clean their teeth far more effectively with a few small changes. The secret is not scrubbing harder or longer. It is technique, timing, and the right tools.

This is the exact routine I use myself and recommend to my patients. It takes about seven minutes a day total. Let me walk you through it.

First, what are you actually cleaning off? Plaque vs tartar

Every day, a soft, sticky film called plaque forms on your teeth. Plaque is mostly bacteria and it is the real target of brushing and flossing. The good news is that plaque is soft, so you can remove it at home with good technique.

Here is the catch. If plaque is left to sit, it hardens into tartar, also called calculus. Tartar bonds tightly to the tooth, and once it forms, only a dental professional can safely remove it with special tools. Please do not try to scrape tartar off yourself, because you can damage your enamel and gums. The whole point of a great daily routine is to remove plaque consistently so it never gets the chance to harden in the first place.
Plaque vs tartar: plaque is a soft sticky film you can remove at home, while tartar is hardened plaque that only a dentist can remove

Clean at the right time

After a day of eating, drinking, and stress, your mouth tends to be acidic. Enamel softens in an acidic environment, so if you brush right then, you can actually wear away enamel that acid has already softened.

So do not brush immediately after a meal. Wait at least 15 minutes for your mouth to rebalance. This matters even more after acidic foods and drinks, which I break down in my guide on how acidic drinks affect your teeth.

Rinse before you brush

If you have had a rough day and your mouth feels especially dirty, it helps to balance the acidity before you brush. Swish a small amount of my Remineralizing Mouthwash for about 30 seconds. It helps bring your mouth back toward a healthy pH and loosens food particles stuck between your teeth, so your brushing is more effective.

Choose the right toothbrush

Your toothbrush should have soft, round ended bristles and a head no more than about an inch long, so you can maneuver it easily. My favorites are my bamboo toothbrushes with soft bristles, or an Oral-B electric toothbrush.

Electric brushes tend to be more effective for most people, and they are especially helpful for kids or anyone without great manual dexterity, because the brush does some of the work for you. You can absolutely clean well with a manual brush too, you just have to be a bit more deliberate. I compare the two in electric vs manual toothbrushes.

What to brush with: reach for hydroxyapatite

I searched for years for a toothpaste that was fluoride free, tasted good, and actually had beneficial ingredients. When I could not find one, I made my own. Instead of paste, I use a tooth powder built around hydroxyapatite, the mineral your enamel is made of, which supports remineralization while it gently cleans and helps lift surface stains. If you are curious why I skip fluoride, I explain it in is fluoride toothpaste bad for you.

I make four versions so there is a fit for everyone:
How to brush the right way: angle bristles 45 degrees to the gums, use gentle short strokes, sweep toward the tip, and spend 30 seconds per section

How to brush properly, step by step

To use the tooth powder, wet your brush, dip the bristles into the powder, and brush for two minutes. Then spit, and try not to rinse, so the hydroxyapatite can stay on your teeth and keep working. I recommend not eating or drinking for about 30 minutes after. Brush twice a day, which I explain more in how many times a day you should brush.

As the graphic above shows, technique is everything. Here is the method I teach:

  1. Aim the bristles at a 45 degree angle toward the gumline. Gently move them back and forth over one or two teeth, as if you are polishing the plaque off from the gumline to the tip.
  2. Then sweep the brush toward the tip of the tooth to carry that plaque up and away.
  3. Work in sections. Spend about 30 seconds on each section, for example all the back sides of the bottom teeth, then spit. No need to rinse yet.
  4. Move around your mouth: fronts of the bottom teeth, fronts of the top, backs of the top, 30 seconds each, spitting after each section.
  5. Finish with the chewing surfaces, about 15 seconds top and bottom. This is where kids get the most cavities, so do not skip it.
Living Well Remineralizing Tooth Powder with hydroxyapatite, cool mint

Clean your tongue

Most people skip their tongue, but it can hold a lot of the bacteria behind bad breath. Cleaning it takes just a few seconds. I use a copper tongue scraper, which is inexpensive, light, and effective. Put the rounded part as far back as is comfortable, then scrape forward. Rinse and repeat until nothing more comes off. Once a day is plenty. If you are weighing your options, I compare materials in copper vs stainless steel tongue scrapers.

If tongue scraping is new to you, my full guide covers the benefits of tongue scraping and how to do it right.

Clean between your teeth

Cleaning between teeth is not only flossing. Here are my favorite options:

  • Bamboo Charcoal Dental Floss is woven rather than slick, so it lifts debris and surface stains more effectively than standard floss, and it skips the questionable coatings.
  • A shower flosser attaches to your shower head, so you can clean between your teeth while you are already in the shower.
  • A water flosser like a Waterpik sits on your counter and is especially handy if you have dental work or braces.
  • An interdental brush, sometimes called a Christmas tree brush, is great for larger gaps.
Living Well Remineralizing Mouthwash, cool mint, alcohol and fluoride free

The final rinse

A final rinse after brushing has real benefits: it clears away the last bits of debris, supports healthy, comfortable gums, helps the hydroxyapatite stay on your teeth a little longer, and freshens your breath. Just do not reach for a traditional mouthwash, because the high alcohol content tends to dry out your mouth, which can actually lead to more odor over time.

For years I made my own rinse at home, then finally manufactured it so I could share it. My Remineralizing Mouthwash comes in mint and fresh citrus, and it is chosen ingredient by ingredient:

  • Micro hydroxyapatite, the same mineral in your enamel, to support remineralization and help form a smooth protective layer that makes it harder for plaque to stick.
  • A gentle silver solution, chosen for its clean, cleansing properties.
  • Xylitol, a natural sweetener that bacteria cannot feed on and that supports healthy saliva flow.
  • Soothing botanicals like plantain, marshmallow root, calendula, and lavender, traditionally chosen to comfort and support the gums.

Because the rinse also contains hydroxyapatite, you do not have to worry about it washing away your tooth powder. If you use both, brush as described, then swish the rinse for 30 seconds and spit. Wait about 30 minutes before eating or drinking.
Living Well Remineralizing Tooth Powder with hydroxyapatite, cool mint

Remineralizing Tooth Powder

A fluoride free, hydroxyapatite tooth powder that supports remineralization while it gently cleans and helps lift surface stains. Use it in place of toothpaste, in mint or fresh citrus.

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Your daily routine, morning and evening

You do not need to clean your tongue or between your teeth twice a day, so my morning and evening routines look a little different. Swap them if you prefer.

Morning:

  • Brush with tooth powder using the technique above.
  • Finish with a 30 second rinse. Wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking.

Evening:

  • Do a quick 30 second pre brush rinse.
  • Clean between your teeth with floss, a shower flosser, a water flosser, or an interdental brush.
  • Scrape your tongue.
  • Brush with tooth powder.
  • Finish with a 30 second rinse, then wait 30 minutes.

It sounds like a lot, but the morning routine takes about two minutes and the evening about five. That small daily investment can dramatically cut your risk of decay and help keep your gums healthy, which is a lot easier than years of dental work.
Living Well copper tongue scraper
Living Well all natural bamboo charcoal dental floss

Remineralize from the inside out

Great technique cleans and supports your teeth from the outside, but that is only half the story. Your teeth are living structures, nourished from within through tiny blood vessels, and with the right building blocks they can strengthen from the inside too.

If you keep getting cavities despite careful brushing, the missing piece is often nutrition. My Tooth and Bone Formula pairs chelated zinc, copper, and manganese, the minerals your body uses to support strong enamel and bone. I pair it with Vitamin D3 plus K2, because D3 pulls calcium into your bloodstream and K2 helps direct that calcium into your teeth and bones. Together they support strong, resilient teeth from within. You can read more about the process in how to support your teeth's natural remineralization, and about gum care in the best mouthwash for gum health.
Living Well Classic Tooth Remineralization Kit with tooth powder and supplements

Shop the whole routine

The Classic Tooth Remineralization Kit brings together the tooth powder and the supplement support your teeth need, inside and out. Dentist formulated and fluoride free.

SHOP THE KIT

Want the whole routine in one place? My Classic Tooth Remineralization Kit bundles the essentials, or grab the free Tooth Remineralization Guide to go deeper on the diet side.
Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, DDS

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen is a dentist, author, speaker, and the founder of Living Well with Dr. Michelle. After practicing traditional dentistry for 10 years, she became seriously ill and discovered she had mercury poisoning from removing mercury fillings for her patients. That journey led her into biological and holistic dentistry, where she has spent more than 15 years since.

She founded Total Care Dental and formulates the Living Well line of oral care to help families care for their teeth and their whole body health.

How do I remove plaque from my teeth at home?

Plaque is a soft, sticky film, so you can remove it at home with good technique: brush twice a day with the bristles angled 45 degrees to the gumline, clean between your teeth daily, and scrape your tongue. Consistency is what keeps plaque from building up and hardening into tartar.

What is the difference between plaque and tartar?

Plaque is the soft, bacteria filled film that forms on teeth every day, and you can remove it at home. Tartar, also called calculus, is plaque that has hardened and bonded to the tooth. Tartar can only be safely removed by a dental professional with special tools.

Can you remove tartar without going to the dentist?

Not safely. Once plaque hardens into tartar it is firmly attached to the tooth, and trying to scrape it off yourself can damage your enamel and gums. The best approach is prevention: remove plaque consistently at home so it does not harden, and see a hygienist to remove any tartar that forms.

How long should I brush, and how many times a day?

Brush for about two minutes, twice a day, spending roughly 30 seconds on each section of your mouth. Using a hydroxyapatite tooth powder, brush and spit without rinsing so the minerals can keep working.

Should I rinse my mouth after brushing?

If you use a hydroxyapatite tooth powder, it helps to skip the water rinse so the minerals stay on your teeth. A hydroxyapatite mouth rinse is a great final step because it adds the same minerals rather than washing them away. Avoid high alcohol mouthwashes, which can dry the mouth.

When should I brush, before or after breakfast?

Avoid brushing right after eating or drinking something acidic, because acid softens enamel and brushing then can wear it down. Wait at least 15 minutes so your mouth can rebalance, then brush.

What is the best way to clean between your teeth?

Flossing works, but it is not the only option. A woven charcoal floss, a water flosser, a shower flosser, or an interdental brush can all clean between teeth effectively. Choose whatever you will actually use every day.