Ep. 17 Everything Your Grandma Told You About Oral Hygiene...Might Be wrong

Did Listerine really start as a floor cleaner?

Is charcoal toothpaste actually helping your teeth... or just making your sink look dramatic?

And who decided everyone should get their teeth cleaned every six months anyway?

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Anastasia Dallas, RDH, and Lauren Kennedy, RDH take a hilarious (and evidence-based) trip through some of dentistry's biggest myths, questionable marketing campaigns, and outdated advice that somehow refuses to disappear.

Nothing is off limits as they challenge everything from fluoride debates and hydroxyapatite to baking soda, mouthwash, water flossers, charcoal toothpaste, and the obsession with "burning means it's working."

If you've ever wondered whether your dental routine is based on science... or just decades of clever advertising... this episode is for you.

• The bizarre history of Listerine (it's even stranger than you think)

• Why the six-month recall isn't a one-size-fits-all recommendation

• The truth about fluoride and why the conversation is more nuanced than social media makes it seem

• Hydroxyapatite explained and why everyone's suddenly talking about it

• Why baking soda isn't nearly as abrasive as you've been told

• The problem with charcoal toothpaste

• Why foaming toothpaste doesn't necessarily clean better

• Oral probiotics and why killing every bacteria isn't the goal

• Mouthwash myths and protecting your oral microbiome

• Water flossers, tap water, filtered water, and why context matters

• How marketing has shaped what we believe about oral health

Science evolves.

Healthcare evolves.

Your oral care should evolve too.

The goal isn't to blindly follow trends or cling to old habits.

It's to stay curious, ask questions, and make decisions based on the best evidence available.

Which oral health myth shocked you the most?

Tell us in the comments.

What topic should we tackle next?

We might feature your idea in an upcoming episode!

Have a unique story, clinical passion, or perspective that could inspire healthcare professionals?

Visit The Unhinged Hygienists to learn more, read our blog, and apply to be a guest on the podcast.

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Remember...

Question the marketing.

Question the myths.

Stay curious.

And never stop learning.