I've tried many approaches to dental hygiene over the years; the conventional advice most dentists would give, doing almost nothing at all, and all manner of alternative and traditional methods. Several of these things have proven quite effective:

Chios Mastic

 Mastic is a tree resin that is produced on the island of Chios in Greece, where it is referred to as "white gold." You can see some in the picture above, in the middle of my palm. It has been used for thousands of years throughout the Mediterranean to clean the teeth and tongue, to strengthen the jaw and firmly set the teeth, and to treat a variety of oral diseases. You chew it just like gum, but it's many times more effective at cleaning the mouth, exercising the muscles of mastication, and stimulating the teeth and bones of the face. I've been chewing it for an hour or two several times per week for several years now.

 When you first start out, if you're unaccustomed to chewing hard things like most modern people, it will be quite difficult. Likely your jaw muscles will tire quickly and your teeth will feel weirdly sore. If you have the good sense to persist this will go away; your jaw and teeth will feel far more stable and solid in a matter of weeks. One of the main reasons we have so many dental problems in the modern world—crowded teeth, sunken cheekbones, receding chins, underdeveloped dental arches, weakly rooted teeth—is that we rarely if ever chew anything hard, which provides the optimal mechanical stimulus to guide the development of the teeth, jaw, maxilla and the whole mid-face region of the skull. Chios mastic is a great way to combat the injurious effects of an overly-soft diet while also cleaning away debris from the teeth and tongue. If you chew this often it's a good idea to occasionally massage your masseter muscles and open your jaw as wide as possible, holding it for a few seconds, to balance out all of the hard chewing.

Tongue Scraper

 Tongue scrapers are quite helpful as well, especially if you struggle with bad breath, tooth decay, a diminished sense of taste or congestion. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years for precisely these conditions. Removing the buildup of debris from food which accumulates on the back of the tongue greatly lessens the raw material that can fuel pathogenic microbial growth. If you've never used one before you will likely be shocked at how much gunk comes off the back of your tongue the first time you scrape it. The procedure is quite simple: put the scraper as far back as you can manage and lightly press it into the tongue, then pull it forward all the way to the tip of the tongue. Rinse off the debris from the scraper and repeat this 5-7 times. I do it in the morning right before I brush my teeth.

 I've found that copper scrapers are more effective than stainless steel ones. Copper is a potently anti-microbial metal so it stands to reason that it would do a better job of dislodging microbes from the tongue and remaining sanitary after prolonged use. I noticed my mouth and tongue feeling significantly cleaner and fresher after switching from stainless steel to copper. I've also found that, for whatever reason, copper scrapers do not induce a gag reflex as strongly as stainless steel ones.

Soft-Bristled Toothbrush

 Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, basic as it is, strikes me as the best approach to brushing. Harder bristles, especially if used forcefully and often, are more likely to slowly erode the enamel. Soft bristles are gentler and clean the teeth just fine. In particular the Doctor Plotka toothbrush, pictured above, has been very effective. The brush is layered with slightly firmer and thicker bristles beneath and extremely fine ones atop; the finer bristles go in between the teeth relatively easily. It works far better than any other toothbrush I've used. The bristles are also infused with silver, another metal which discourages microbial growth.

Brushing With Bar Soap

 Brushing with bar soap may strike you as incredibly strange, if not idiotic, but it works. I first discovered it through the work of a chemist named Gerard Judd, who wrote a book called Good Teeth From Birth To Death. To summarize it very briefly, he claims:

  (1) teeth can re-enamelize when truly clean

  (2) conventional toothpaste is loaded with glycerin, which clings stubbornly to the teeth and inhibits re-enamelization

  (3) conventional toothpaste also contains fluoride, which is extremely toxic in general and destroys the structure of the teeth (contra the typical dentist's adoration of it)

  (4) bar soap cleans the teeth without blocking re-enamelization, as it rinses off easily

  (5) bar soap disinfects the gums and is very effective against the buildup of tartar

  (6) the real danger to the enamel is acid, not microbes

 I've since seen the idea of brushing with bar soap referenced in publications as far back as the middle of the 19th century as an effective way of preventing the buildup of tartar and cleaning the teeth. Now whether all of Judd's claims are true I cannot say, but what I can say is that brushing with a simple bar soap made from extra virgin olive oil works incredibly well. My teeth feel extremely clean, to the point of being glassy, every time I brush. There is no sense that any residue remains. I never have gum problems. No toothaches or tooth sensitivity (which I did get when using toothpastes in the past). It is absurdly cheap; a single bar of soap can last a year or more. I'd say it works better than any toothpaste, conventional or alternative, that I've tried, and I've tried a lot of them over the years. The only downside is that it's somewhat gag-inducing compared to normal toothpaste at the outset, but it's not that bad.

Washing Off Acid

 I also consistently wash my teeth off after eating or drinking anything acidic. Since I started working from home I usually just brush shortly after every meal, but if I'm out then I'll just make sure to rinse my mouth out with water to dilute any acid from the meal. This is just to protect the enamel from slow wear and tear over time.

Tongue Posture

 Tongue posture refers to the manner in which the tongue is positioned throughout the day. Most have never even heard of it and fewer still are keen enough to appreciate its importance. The natural and proper position of the tongue when not chewing or speaking is pressed up into the roof of the mouth, covering the portion of the maxilla exposed between the teeth. It's important to get the posterior portion of the tongue pressed up as well as the front of the tongue, so that the tongue is also covering the space between the two sets of molars. This has substantial effects on the growth and development of the dental arches and the face, and is especially important for children and adolescents to adopt. I discovered this back in 2016 through the work of Dr. Mike Mew, who has an excellent YouTube channel called Orthotropics which covers this subject in far greater detail. The results he has obtained with some of his clients are quite spectacular, and the practice of "Mewing," as it has become known in some corners of the internet, is growing by the year. Do not underestimate the importance of this, even if you're an adult.

Oil Pulling

 Finally, I've also recently begun to do oil pulling, another practice with a long history in Ayurvedic medicine. It consists in swishing a tablespoon or so of oil around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, then spitting it into the trash. (Don't swallow it and don't spit it into the sink as it can cause plumbing issues.) The rationale is that the oil can help clean the mouth out via the antiseptic properties of the fatty acids coupled with the detergent-like action that occurs as the oil begins to create suds and thins out, which you can feel occur if you swish it long enough. It's also claimed that fat-soluble toxins can be pulled out of the mouth into the oil, and they are then spit out with the oil.

 The long history of its use and the many testimonials available online were compelling enough for me to try it. I've already noticed, in only about a week, that my mouth feels even cleaner than before (it already felt pretty clean), I've been sleeping better, and the minor congestion I sometimes get in the morning has noticeably reduced. I've also felt some interesting drainage occurring in my left ear canal, which used to get infected a lot in my childhood. I plan to keep doing it for the forseeable future. Many people have gotten relief from allergies, congestion, bad breath, cavities, digestive problems, skin conditions and all manner of ailments from doing this regularly, and it's a very safe thing to try.

 Traditionally sesame oil was used in India, but many people recommend and use organic virgin coconut oil. This is what I use, as I like the fatty acid profile better (more highly saturated, more anti-microbial). I just take a dollop of the oil and start swishing it before I get into the shower in the morning. By the time I'm finished, toweled off and dressed it has usually been right around 20 minutes. It's an easy way to sneak it in without having a bunch of oil in your mouth at a time when you might need to speak. You can also try adding a drop of an essential oil like peppermint or clove to spice it up a bit.

A Few More

 Some other honorable mentions for oral health would be getting plenty of vitamin K2 (as MK-4), magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin A, protein and calcium. When exercising I add magnesium chloride flakes, a bit of sea salt and peppermint oil to my water. I swish this around for a bit before swallowing. I've also dabbled a bit in using red light or sunlight directly on the teeth, gums and tongue, but it's rather tedious to do. I hope you find some of this to be helpful, whatever the state of your dental health. Best of luck!