Many years ago I remember watching an episode of the tv show King of Queens starring comedian Kevin James. In one of the scenes, Doug (character played by Kevin) was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. As a dental hygiene student at the time, I remember thinking, “His brushing technique is awful!”

Fast forward to me seeing another tooth brushing scene in a movie and then another one on a different tv show and then another one… I began to see a pattern. Actors really suck at brushing!

What the hell were they doing wrong?

They were using an aggressive back and forth motion. That will wear down your gums and cause recession, especially if you use a hard or medium bristle brush (not recommended).

They were brushing for about 30 seconds. Thorough brushing should take at least 2 minutes.

They rarely used toothpaste. Apparently, this is a filming thing so they can still talk and not make a mess.

They were rinsing with water after brushing. This washes away the fluoride provided by the toothpaste. Not good.

They almost never flossed. Really not good.

I’m a huge fan of Kevin James, but I’m not a fan of his god awful brushing technique.

If you need help with your brushing technique (or anything else dental related), don’t ask Kevin; ask your dentist or hygienist at your next dental appointment. If you don’t have a next appointment, pick up the phone and schedule one today.

Mark Frias, RDH