Oral Health

Anything But Mid is hosted by Amy Edwards and Whitney Stropp. Neither host is a doctor and nothing here is medical advice. Lightly cleaned for readability.

Whitney: I'm Whitney.

Amy: And I'm Amy.

Whitney: And this is midlife,

Amy: but you are anything but mid.

Whitney: Take it.

Amy: Believe it.

Whitney: Own it. Okay, I went a little overboard. Hi, Amy. Hello. Hello, how are you?

Amy: I am great. How are you?

Whitney: I am, well, I'm okay.

Amy: Just okay?

Whitney: So, my mid moment this week was that I have to get a crown.

Amy: I don't even really understand what a crown is.

Whitney: I, it covers or, it they, I don't really know. I think

Amy: And you don't mean like wear on your head.

Whitney: I always have on my queen crown.

Amy: That's right. Straighten your crown.

Whitney: But this is a crown for my mouth.

Amy: What is it? And why?

Whitney: Well, all I know is that I had a filling and it was a metal filling, like it was old. Right. And it kind of broke loose. And so there was, this is so gross, there was some decay in there that was eating away and I didn't have enough tooth left to save that tooth basically. So they have to scrape out all of the the decay

Amy: Oh, my god.

Whitney: and then put a cap on it, which they call a crown. So they've capped it.

Amy: So you just have this little, sad, little tooth underneath.

Whitney: It's just a teeny, little bit of a tooth and then they cap it with a crown.

Amy: They cap it. Is it hollow inside there? Or

Whitney: I don't really know. Today, so today I had to go. My mouth is still a little numb.

Amy: God, it's so, it's so awful to me.

Whitney: I can't suck out of a straw yet.

Amy: I'm so sensitive to mouth pain. I am super weird about the dentist. I have stopped them mid cleaning and been like we're done here.

Whitney: Listen.

Amy: Because I've literally been like we're done.

Whitney: Yeah, my mom and my sister are like that and I never really got it and they have so much trauma.

Amy: You're so lucky. You're so lucky.

Whitney: But listen. So they have so much trauma that they're just traumatized for weeks before their appointment, you know?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: And I'm always like what's the big fucking deal? Well today I had to go in, so it's a two-parter. You go in and and they clean everything out and they put a temporary crown on and they mold, they make a mold of your mouth and your teeth and everything, and then you get a permanent one in like two weeks.

Amy: And so you got the

Whitney: So I got that today and

Amy: You got the temp.

Whitney: I got the temporary. So, couple of things. One, redheads need more anesthesia.

Amy: That's right.

Whitney: And so I told her that. I was like, you know that redheads need, and she goes, "Oh yeah, I know. It's a real thing." And I'm like, yeah, it's a real thing. Three shots and I could still, they she tried three different times to start. And first of all, it is such a mental thing when you've got your mouth wide open and you smell the smell of teeth grinding and you hear the sounds, and you taste the taste.

Amy: My body gets so tense. I sweat. I need to be put under. Why can't they put us under?

Whitney: So she said, "I think you need the laughing gas." Well it's $160.

Amy: Fucking A.

Whitney: And I'm like no, I don't I've never had to have gas. I I can do this. But she had to stop several times and I had to breathe through it. You know, it was such a mental game of of breathing through my nose and trying to, it's very wherever you put your focus and your attention that is what area is going to grow. And of course,

Amy: I guess. But it's so sensitive that I will like

Whitney: your mouth.

Amy: like full-body

Whitney: I had never understood the trauma that people felt towards the dentist until today. I felt like there were 10 hands in my mouth with 10 different tools and scraping and and all this stuff, and my mouth is wide open, my lips are so dry. It was so traumatizing.

Amy: It's so awful. And and and we're living in this day and age. We're in 2026. Can you imagine what people went through 50 years ago?

Whitney: I They drank a whole bottle of bourbon and then their tooth got pulled. That's all they could do.

Amy: I'm I may have to drink to go to the

Whitney: Well, I I honestly, you know, I refused the happy gas. Plus it was really weird. When they came in for the third time they were like, "Look, you really probably need to get the gas." And I'm already kind of traumatized at this point, because I've felt pain and they've been in my mouth for a while. I got teary. I was like I don't want the gas. I don't want to feel out of control. This isn't like going to have Margaritas with my friends. I don't want to be loopy.

Amy: Have you had the gas before?

Whitney: No.

Amy: Oh, it's awesome.

Whitney: I just, it was in my mind now about I was going to be acting weird, or vulnerable, or whatever. So I was just like

Amy: You just feel like you're floating. But it feels really good.

Whitney: Yeah, your hand starts to go up and they have to keep your hands

Amy: It doesn't really take away the trauma for me. Like, I still know what's going on. I'm just high. And I, oh, my god, that's why when you said, "Oh, I've got to go get a crown and I'll meet you to record," and I was like are you sure you're going to be okay?

Whitney: I had no idea. I've never had anything this extreme done to my mouth. I've just had a cavity here and there. So I didn't really understand. But because of this experience today's episode is all about oral

Amy: hygiene.

Whitney: Because, and I've heard it a million times, oral hygiene and longevity are linked together. The your mouth is a gateway to your internal organs.

Amy: Yes, well, yes, I actually did a two-part series with a biological dentist last fall.

Whitney: You did. Don't you now Now I understand like, you know, dentists have to really enjoy traumatizing people.

Amy: I mean, seriously. Well, okay, so I went to lunch with a friend and she was telling me about her thyroid issues. And she said, "Well, you know, this one tooth I've got is connected to your thyroid." And I was like, pardon me? And so each of your teeth is connected. So I start to look this up. I'm like

Whitney: Shit. I need to find out which tooth that that got my crown on.

Amy: I can I can probably tell you.

Whitney: But I don't know the name of the teeth.

Amy: Well, there's a little chart.

Whitney: This is Howard.

Amy: So there's a little chart. Let me find it.

Whitney: Sarah. Okay.

Amy: I I actually went and found it after she and I had lunch and I sent it to her and I was like, I must have emailed it or something. I don't see it. And oh, maybe it was a link. And so, anyway, I was like blown away.

Whitney: I'm just going to ask Gemini right now.

Amy: Ask right now. So there's a chart that you can find that shows you the whole, everything inside your mouth. And so, okay.

Whitney: What Let me back up even further. Okay.

Amy: So I did a show, an episode 193 in 20

Whitney: But are these teeth connected to the organ? So like I'm trying to ask what what organ each tooth is connected to.

Amy: Yes. Yes. Yes. And so let me just back way up. So I did a podcast with Risa Groux, who's a nutritionist. It was episode 193 and I did it like, I think, October of 2024. And so Risa tells me a story about how she was having all these thyroid issues. So she did gut testing. In the gut test they found a weird salivary bacteria or salivary indicator

Whitney: Yeah. Yeah.

Amy: in her gut. And so she went and did some, got a head scan or something like that, finds out that when she had her wisdom teeth removed like 20 years prior, they left a piece of metal in her mouth and a little bit of a root. So she gets that shit removed, it heals her fucking thyroid.

Whitney: That Okay. So she

Amy: So she becomes, and she never had any other symptoms.

Whitney: So she's a holistic dentist?

Amy: So she, no, she is the nutritionist. So then I'm like kind of obsessed with this, right? So I go to lunch with my friend, and my friend's like, "My tooth is connected to my thyroid," and I'm like, holy shit.

Whitney: My tooth is connected to my thyroid.

Amy: Yes, it is. Exactly. So, yes, right? And so then I'm like, whoa, I didn't know that all your teeth were connected to something. But I tell her the story about Risa. Then I get an email like right away pitching a biological dentist to be on my show.

Whitney: That is I love when the universe does that, man. I love that.

Amy: Right? And I'm like big fat yes.

Whitney: Big fat yes.

Amy: So then she and I do two episodes, cuz she was like a total rock star.

Whitney: Oh, I'm going to have to go listen to it.

Amy: So that is

Whitney: Episode 190

Amy: from last, yeah, I did it like for Halloween because of sugar and all that. So she That's episodes 245 and 244 last October in 2025. Her name is Dr. Toni Engram. She's a SMART certified biological dentist and she talks about the oral hygiene body connection.

Whitney: Well, the tooth chart that you're talking about is the Meridian tooth chart.

Amy: Yes! Meridian, thank you. Thank you.

Whitney: And so here's a simplified summary of the organs associated with certain groups. So the incisors, the front teeth, which are 7, 8, 9, 10, upper, 23, 24, 25, 26, lower, I don't know, kidneys, bladder, urogenital system. Cool.

Amy: Cool.

Whitney: Canines, your eye teeth, liver, gallbladder. Premolars: lungs, large intestine, stomach and spleen. Molars: stomach, pancreas, spleen, and liver. And wisdom teeth: heart, small intestine, central nervous system. Why the fuck are we getting our wisdom teeth out if they are connected to our heart, and our small intestines, and our central nervous system?

Amy: Well, because it can crowd all your other teeth. And there's actually a lot of good reasons to have your wisdom teeth out.

Whitney: I know. Guess what? Guess who still has all of her wisdom teeth?

Amy: You do?

Whitney: Yes.

Amy: Let me see your teeth.

Whitney: They never came down.

Amy: They never Wait, they're still in there?

Whitney: They're in there. They never That's why

Amy: Interesting.

Whitney: I think, look.

Amy: So they just never came out.

Whitney: I never Well, let me put it this way, I never had my wisdom teeth removed.

Amy: And you don't remember like when you were 18 years old seeing new teeth coming in?

Whitney: No. I know. All the wisdom is still right up here.

Amy: All right, so

Whitney: So, this is so interesting because I have heard this before. And look, I brush my teeth and I floss sometimes. After, and I've got a Waterpik. I've got a lot of

Amy: Sometimes? I floss religiously every single day.

Whitney: Okay. Well, after today's

Amy: Start flossing. What the hell?

Whitney: horrifying horrifying experience I am going to take better care of my teeth. Now I did ask the dentist, I go, is this because of hygiene or is it because of the grinding that I do? And she was like, it's it's a little bit of hygiene because you had a a cavity, you know, you had a filling that then got opened up and more decay got in there. So, but that was like when I was little. When they were still putting metal fillings in. And then are they still putting metal fillings in? No, they're not.

Amy: No, they're not. And one of the things I learned with Toni, which I'll just interject these as I can.

Whitney: Yeah, please. I want to know.

Amy: Cavities are a family issue. It's not necessarily oral hygiene. Cavities can be passed around in a family and so that's why

Whitney: You mean just genetics.

Amy: No.

Whitney: Not you're kissing and you passed your cavity on to the next person.

Amy: You're kissing and eating together. And like yes, no, that's what it is.

Whitney: Because it's a bacteria? Oh, I can't even. That's making my mind explode. Now, I'm never going to want to French kiss again.

Amy: I think so. Yeah.

Amy: You're all right. You're all right.

Whitney: No, I cannot experience what I experienced today ever again.

Whitney: It's so bad. And

Amy: You know what? My

Whitney: Okay, I'm just going to Go ahead.

Amy: go off on a little tan- My My dentist I've got to find a new dentist anyway because my dentist has turned into Trumpville. He has literal statues of Trump. He wears Trump ties. It's like

Whitney: Oh, no. Oh, he's gone off the deep end.

Amy: I came for a teeth cleaning, not an indoctrination into like And And plus, I'm not a Trumper. And so, I am like

Whitney: Right. Is he blaring Trump speeches over the intercom?

Amy: It's been a few months since I've been. So, it's been like I'm dreading going. I'm going to have to like leave. I have to leave now.

Whitney: I mean, Today, while her hands, her gigantic hands, were in my mouth with these metal objects that are crashing up against my little lips into my teeth, and I can't move anything because everything is crowded. And I'm like, "She's going to give me a busted lip." And I was thinking, "There has to be a part of her that is really into this. Like she's not even thinking about my lip is being pushed by this metal thing."

Amy: Yeah. They didn't put a some lip balm on you?

Whitney: They put a little Vaseline around it, but this was, you know, all of their tools are hard, and And it's It's pushing into my lips, I don't know.

Amy: There's got to be a dentist that knocks you out for this. There's just got to be.

Whitney: Well, and I also thought in 2025, when there's all these other surgical ways like LASIK, not LASIK, but you know, laser surgery and stuff, things that are non-invasive for your internal organs, why can't we figure that out for the fucking mouth?

Amy: Why can't we?

Whitney: Why can't we? Anyway, it has It has driven me to do way better. I am not going to put myself in that position again, and I'm going to make sure that my kids are not in that position. It is horrifying. So, let's get back to this oral hygiene and longevity. I'm fired up. So, did you know You probably already knew this. The mouth is the second largest biome in the body after the gut.

Amy: You're fired up! Wow! Probably. You know, a lot of this is probably stuff she's told me, but I'm so forgetful. So,

Whitney: That makes sense. Right. So, we're going to I'm going to I'm going to lay down just kind of why the oral hygiene and longevity and your teeth are all connected, and then I'm going to go into the protocol, the procedures, the things that you need to do in order to keep you

Amy: Cool. Okay.

Whitney: out of the dentist chair.

Amy: Great. Well, I can supplement this as as we go.

Whitney: Great. So, your gums are like a seal or a fence, right? When the seal is healthy, it keeps the bacteria where they belong, not inside your system. It's, you know, it's not in your body, right? The gums are the fence that keeps everything out.

Amy: Wait, the gums or the teeth?

Whitney: No, your gums are the fence.

Amy: Oh, your gums are the fence. Yes.

Whitney: Yes. Your teeth are there to chomp down and eat, but the gums keep all of that food out of your system, right? And all the bacteria that is created from food that's sitting in between your teeth. Anyway, if there's a breach, if if you have gum disease, then the fence is broken and it creates tiny leaks that allow bad bacteria to escape in your mouth and enter your bloodstream. Side note, one of the widows on my Every Widow Thing podcast, her husband died because his son had strep, then he got strep, he didn't know he had strep. He went to a dentist appointment and got his teeth cleaned and that strep went into his system. And he was 37 when he died. And nobody He was so healthy that nobody And he went to the the doctor

Amy: What?

Whitney: two the day before he died, he went to the doctor with excruciating back pain and something else, and they just said it was a pulled muscle, they sent him home.

Amy: I have chills.

Whitney: He had the worst night of his life, and then the next day, while they were getting ready for work, he basically died in the home like And then they got him to the hospital, and I mean, he never woke up. He was in a coma, but it was because of strep that got into your mouth and into your system because there was a like a cut or something because of the dentist. It opened up the fence and it broke and and it got in there.

Amy: I mean, is the strep already in your system? But oh, my god.

Whitney: I don't know all the ins and outs of it.

Amy: Strep is its own special thing, too.

Whitney: Yeah. And it And I Strep, it's there's all types. It's like strep A, I can't remember the name of it, but but it was he was 37, in great shape, and because he was sick and went to the dentist, that got into his system in a different way, into his bloodstream.

Amy: Wow. I mean, a lot of people like I remember my dad having problems with it. He was a lifetime smoker. And he had to like take antibiotics and stuff sometimes. Like if you get a your teeth cleaned,

Whitney: You get a lot of antibiotics. Yeah.

Amy: you don't have to do that. That fucks up your gut, too.

Whitney: Right. So, once once this enters your bloodstream, the bacteria can travel everywhere: your heart, your brain, all your organs.

Amy: Okay. Okay.

Whitney: And your body sees these obviously as intruders, tries to fight them, it creates the inflammation, and then, you know, it's like a fire that never goes out and it wears your body down over time. So, that was an extreme case of strep and he died, but you can have this bacteria that's just slowly eroding your organs without you realizing it. But the first indication is your teeth.

Amy: Uh-huh. Yeah.

Whitney: Like your teeth can tell other tell you what other issues are going to happen in your body. So, clean teeth, healthy gums keep the fence strong, preventing that inflammation and shortening your life span. Here are a couple a couple of links. So, bleeding gums is chronic inflammation. It also can be a sign of diabetes.

Amy: Yeah, bleeding gums are really bad. You've got to go. You've got to do something about it.

Whitney: And I know Yes, I know when I am floss Like when I went and got my teeth cleaned, which is how I knew that I had to get this crown, she was like, "You have a little bit of bleeding in your gums. You need to be flossing more. Your Your gums are inflamed." So, you you know, you got to get that down. And I was like, "Oh, I thought I might Yeah. I"

Amy: One time One time this is like in the 90s, this is like 1996, I went to see a friend in Dallas and she took me to her work with her and I can't remember why. Anyway, she had a colleague that she was working with, this woman who came in and her whole face was all swollen like this. And I was like, "Oh, no. What happened?" And she said, "Oh, I was eating popcorn, and a popcorn kernel got up into my gums and like caused some sort of problem." And her whole face was Can I tell you that there there is not a time I eat popcorn in those 30 years since I've heard that story and I saw that woman,

Whitney: Oh, my god. Infest Fester

Amy: that I haven't thought and been so scared of that. And if I get a popcorn kernel caught, even when I'm flossing, I'm like, "This is it. I'm going to turned into that." It It is

Whitney: Yeah, because it was traumatizing. Yeah. And this is it. It's It's Claire all over again.

Amy: You know how you just get like traumatized by something you heard and then you're like, "Never forget it." Yeah.

Whitney: Yes. Well, hopefully, people are going to not be trauma- Hopefully, people will be traumatized by what we're telling them enough to go and start a better oral protocol, hygiene protocol.

Amy: How did you You already did this preparation, though, before you went to the dentist?

Whitney: Yes. So, I went and had my teeth cleaned like a week ago or whatever.

Amy: And that was when you found out.

Whitney: And that's when they said, "You are You needed a crown like last February." And I'm like, "Oh. I did?" I just blocked that out. And then I'm like, "Well, shit, I didn't want to do it." But I was like, "I'm just going to do it." And I had another friend who had had a lot of dental work done who was now like religious with his flossing. And so, it just made me start thinking, "Oh, I know that there's a connection, but I wasn't clear on it." So, I decided I would do some research. And then after today's traumatic event, I was like, "Oh, hell no. I'm going to shout this from the rooftops so that nobody has to go through this." I am I am not a person that typically is traumatized by the dentist, but I've never had any big, major issue.

Amy: I haven't had a big, major issue really. I'm traumatized just by even a cleaning, and I floss religiously. I saw this commercial when I was like when I was like 12 years old. There was a commercial running I mean like, you know, in the afternoon with Scooby-Doo, whatever. And there was this older woman and she was like, "I started flossing when I was 17." And she still had all her teeth and everything. And I was like, "Okay, I have to start flossing at 17." And literally, I turned 17, and I was like, "Now, I have to start flossing." And I flossed I have flossed

Whitney: You just don't like fingers in your mouth. Religiously? Yeah.

Amy: every day

Whitney: You have one of those minds. Yeah.

Amy: since I was 17. I will floss blackout drunk when I used to drink. But yeah, I mean, like I

Whitney: Right. On red cherry tart tart cherry juice.

Amy: Yeah. Uh-huh. I I'm a flosser. But anyway, I just I'm still traumatized by it. Like and and uh I I don't know.

Whitney: Yeah. Yeah.

Amy: If you know of a like a dentist that knocks you out for all this stuff, I'm

Whitney: I think you're going to have to take like a Xanax or ketamine or something.

Amy: Valium. Not ketamine. Not ketamine.

Whitney: Not Not ketamine. Nasal spray, actually, maybe.

Amy: Maybe. Maybe. I don't know.

Whitney: All right. Another issue, oral issue, is a persistent dry mouth. That's autoimmune system issues

Amy: Ooh. Yikes.

Whitney: like Sjogren's and Lyme disease and stuff.

Amy: Like what?

Whitney: Sjogren's.

Amy: What's that?

Whitney: You know that It's an autoimmune disease and dry mouth is one of the main Like No, no, there's a ton of symptoms, but dry mouth is really

Amy: Just chew some.

Whitney: bad.

Amy: My mom had We're just I'm just

Whitney: I know. And then my mom

Amy: My mom One time at band camp? ulcerative colitis, and she she couldn't She had to be really, really careful getting her teeth cleaned and stuff because of that connection with her gut and stuff. Yeah.

Whitney: Oh. Yeah, yeah. Huh. Eroded enamel, acid reflux, that could be acid reflux, or GERD, or an eating disorder, which is also acid reflux.

Amy: What is GERD? You're using words I've never heard before.

Whitney: You've never heard of GERD? GERD. It's basically acid reflux.

Amy: Ew.

Whitney: Jaw pain, which you and I both What do we do? We grind our teeth.

Amy: I need a new night guard. I need a new night guard.

Whitney: I lost mine for like a week. And when I went to the cleaning, they were like, "Well, you're going to need to get another one. Like your teeth your you're ruining Your gums are receding to a level" And by the way, once your gums recede, there's no bringing them back. Like they don't grow back. Although I am I'm going to use Joe Dispenza

Amy: This is awful. Dispenza.

Whitney: Yes. That guy. And I'm going to I'm going to use what he believes as, you know, the mental focus on it, and I'm going to start telling my gums to regrow. I'm sorry, but I can't believe that only some of our organs can regenerate and not all of our organs.

Amy: Okay. Yeah. Gigi got braces, and her gum like grew down like over part of the braces. Eww. And then when she got her braces off, it was still puffy. So, your gums can grow.

Whitney: I don't know. I don't think so. The The My dentist said once they've receded, there's no coming back from that.

Amy: I'm not going to accept that.

Whitney: But maybe she Maybe hers were inflamed.

Amy: They were. That's That's what it is. It's not that they're growing, it's that they were

Whitney: God bless her, poor thing.

Amy: Anyway, she she was not happy about it. And finally, I was like, "Just take her braces off." Like they were like, "She needs them longer." And I was like, "Just take them off." Like it was getting bad, and it wasn't getting better. And so, I was like, "Just take them off." And now, she didn't even like her teeth when she was done, but now her teeth are fine.

Whitney: Oh. Yeah. It was probably more that she wasn't flossing or brushing properly, so it was getting all inflamed.

Amy: Sorry, Gigi.

Whitney: Anyway, jaw pain also can be a warning sign for cardiovascular issues.

Amy: Wow. Ooh.

Whitney: All right, how oral health impacts specific organs: the heart.

Amy: This is our meridians, too.

Whitney: Yes. The heart. Gum disease is linked to 20% to 30% higher risk of heart disease. Bacteria from the mouth have been found inside arterial plaques, contributing to blockages and strokes.

Amy: Woah. Woah.

Whitney: Isn't that crazy?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: Brain. Recent studies have found oral bacteria in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Chronic oral inflammation is now considered a key risk factor for cognitive decline.

Amy: Holy shit.

Whitney: So, your dentist knows a lot about you just by looking in your mouth.

Amy: Oh, yeah. They can tell if you smoke weed, too. Your teeth turn green. Mhm.

Whitney: Oh, really? On the inside? Like on the back end?

Amy: Like in in those little crevices. so interesting.

Whitney: Uh-huh, they can they can spot weed usage. Maybe it's only actual weed.

Whitney: Lungs.

Whitney: Bacteria from dental plaque can be inhaled into the lungs significantly

Amy: Wait, say that again. Say that again.

Whitney: So, bacteria from dental plaque, which is what builds up when you're not brushing properly,

Amy: can be inhaled?

Whitney: can be inhaled. Think about it. It's in your mouth. It can be inhaled into the lungs and increase the risk of pneumonia and COPD, especially in older adults. Your metabolism. There's a two-way street with diabetes. Gum disease makes blood sugar harder to control, while high blood sugar makes gum infections more severe, which makes sense, sure.

Amy: Oh, you're talking fast.

Whitney: Oh, sorry.

Amy: Okay, so

Whitney: Metabolism.

Amy: Metabolism.

Whitney: So, there's a two-way street with diabetes. Gum disease makes blood sugar harder to control,

Amy: Okay. Yes.

Whitney: while high blood sugar makes gum infections more severe. Right, that makes sense.

Amy: Of course. Anytime Anytime you have too much like high blood sugar, all that shit's going haywire.

Whitney: Yeah. Well, and that's why knowing your glucose levels and making sure, like you said, you're eating things that aren't spiking that. That's you know, as far as glucose goes, you can just walk for 10 minutes after every meal and it will regulate your glucose.

Whitney: So, you don't even need one of those monitors.

Amy: Actually, when I had Natalie from Upgrade Labs on the show, she was saying, "Okay, if I want to eat a pancake with syrup," she was like, "I'd probably stand up, do 10 squats," and well, she had this whole little protocol. And I was like, "What am I hearing right now?" But yeah, like you can even You don't even have to go for a 10-minute walk. You can literally do 10 squats, and that's going to make a difference.

Whitney: I don't like to do squats.

Amy: Too

Whitney: I would rather go on a nice stroll.

Amy: 10 10 little squats. It's so easy.

Whitney: Yeah, okay. I don't really like syrup anyway. But anyway, all right.

Amy: Good, because that would be bad for your teeth.

Whitney: What is your mouth saying about your health, Amy? Your mouth shows symptoms of systemic issues before they appear elsewhere. So, listen to this. Research published in early 2026 shows that

Amy: Six? Okay, this is Yeah, it's recent shit.

Whitney: shows that older adults with 20 or more natural teeth have a significantly lower mortality risk. Losing teeth often predicts oral frailty, which leads to poor nutrition and muscle loss. Well, think about it. If you don't have a lot of teeth, you can't eat much.

Amy: Right. You can't.

Whitney: You're just eating mush.

Amy: That's right. Oof.

Whitney: Not a lot of meat.

Amy: I mean, I don't ever want to be that. I wanted like all my teeth. My grandmothers had my One of my grandmothers, for sure, had dentures, and I just always thought that was Yeah.

Whitney: My dad had dentures.

Amy: Really?

Whitney: He was an alcoholic, so I think all the sugar from the alcohol just ruined his teeth.

Amy: Yeah. Wow.

Whitney: I mean, I'm no expert on it, but I I think that a lot of alcoholics

Amy: No, you are.

Whitney: have bad teeth.

Amy: Woah.

Whitney: Anyway, bleeding gums, which we talked about, this isn't just about brushing too hard, but you do need to be careful with how hard you brush cuz it will recede your gums, which is what happens to me. I notice that I'm brushing really hard. Yeah.

Amy: That hurts.

Whitney: Uh.

Amy: I My hand goes just too fast.

Whitney: Anyway, it's a sign of a compromised immune barrier and systematic inflammation.

Amy: Damn.

Whitney: Dry mouth, which has another word that starts with an X.

Amy: Let me see.

Whitney: Xerostomia? Xerostomia?

Amy: Xer- Xerostomia.

Whitney: Often an early indicator of autoimmune issues like Sjögren's or side effect of medications. Do you want to know how to spell Sjögren's?

Amy: S-j-o-g-r-e-n-s.

Whitney: R-e-n-s, yes. My friend has it.

Amy: So, dry mouth, really?

Whitney: It's hard. Yeah, it's more than dry mouth. It's dry everything. And then It's an autoimmune thing. So, tiredness, it's really It's not a not a

Amy: Aw.

Whitney: Out of all the syndromes, no, no syndrome is fun. Anyway, breath odor, halitosis. While often, it's just hygiene-related. It also can indicate diabetes if it's a fruity breath, diabetes, if it's a fishy smell, kidney issues. Mhm. And I I noticed that with my dog, who sadly has bone cancer. His breath smells different now.

Amy: Oh. Yeah, you know, my dog had to have a bunch of teeth pulled recently. Well, I didn't I didn't have enough money like liquid to pay for it for a while cuz I knew it had gotten kind of extreme. Her breath was terrible, and I could tell like if we were playing or something that like it would kind of hurt. And so, or she would stop playing, and I was like, "Uh-oh." And so, finally, I was like, "I got to do this." So,

Whitney: Right. Really bad. Aw.

Amy: did you know this?

Whitney: Mm-mm.

Amy: So, I did it like last I don't know, mid-last year, whatever. It was expensive, whatever.

Whitney: And traumatizing for everyone, I'm sure.

Amy: She had to have 20 teeth pulled. I know. I felt like a bad mother.

Whitney: How many How many teeth do dogs normally have?

Amy: 44. So, So, she's got more than half now. But she They were like, "She's going to feel so much better." Yo, she is a new dog.

Whitney: Aw, she

Amy: Have you looked at her recently? She looks

Whitney: Well, I'll tell you this.

Amy: She's lost weight. She's feeling good.

Whitney: She's not mean. She's not as mean.

Amy: She's not as mean.

Whitney: She's not mean to me. Yeah.

Amy: She's nicer. She's gotten nicer.

Whitney: Which makes sense. When you don't feel good.

Amy: Yeah. So, they said she was probably in pain and didn't even realize it. And so now,

Whitney: Because it's all she's known.

Amy: she's like Aw. I I felt like a really bad parent. But it was expensive, right? It was really expensive, and I just didn't have the money to dip into right then.

Whitney: Well, and you get to a point like with your animals you're like Like, I I thought this cuz my bulldogs before this dog we'd go to the vet and they'd say, "He needs to get his teeth brushed." And I'm like, "In the wild, these dogs weren't brushing their teeth. Like, why? Why do these dogs all of a sudden need to be brushing their teeth?"

Amy: Maybe they didn't have as long of life, and they're bred, you know, specially, and all that kind of stuff, too.

Whitney: Yeah, that's true. And their diet is different.

Amy: Their diet.

Whitney: Do you know how many teeth adults have, adult humans?

Amy: 32?

Whitney: Good. Do you know how many teeth children have?

Amy: 20 20?

Whitney: Yeah, how the fuck did you know that?

Amy: I literally have been in a teeth mode for like last year. I'm telling you.

Whitney: I'm really into teeth right now, you guys. All right, let's get down to the protocols of how to keep these dentists out of our mouths.

Amy: Okay. God dang it. I got it. I got it. Because

Whitney: Because we

Amy: I don't even want to get my teeth cleaned, so.

Whitney: We can do this, you guys. We we can do this. It just takes a little bit of dedication and trusting the system. Like, that was part of it for me. I was like, "Whatever, I'm not going to fucking floss all the time."

Amy: Why were you blowing off flossing? That's weird. Whitney, that's a big deal. That one's proven. Everybody flosses.

Whitney: I didn't see What do you mean it's weird? Amy, I bet you, and we'll do a poll on Instagram, I would bet you that less than half of people floss regularly. I would bet you.

Amy: Okay. Everybody is crazy.

Whitney: People don't know, but that's what we're doing. We're shouting it from the rooftops. The first thing that they suggest that you do is tongue scraping. Now, I knew this was a thing for a while, and even my son had a tongue a tongue scraper. But the truth is, if you get a stainless steel or a copper scraper, it removes the biofilm that accumulates overnight, so it prevents you from swallowing high concentrations of bacteria.

Amy: Yes. The biological dentist I interviewed swears by it, and I I have tried, and I think it's gross, and I stopped.

Whitney: So, it's Yeah. That's the thing is the I have to buy into this in order to create a routine. Like, and I need to remember the horrific time I had today

Amy: And and what you just said, what you just said is more convincing than anything I've heard about tongue scraping.

Whitney: and make sure that I just Yeah. It makes sense. It makes sense. I thought it was just kind of like a stupid trend that was going on. But no, you you're Okay, so yes, it it is important. That's the first thing that you need to do is scrape your tongue. They say, I mean, it it's suggested stainless steel or copper scraper.

Amy: All right. I'll start. Yes.

Whitney: But, you know,

Amy: That's what I've had.

Whitney: you choose, but definitely need to scrape your tongue first thing. That's the first thing you do.

Amy: Okay. First thing in the morning?

Whitney: First thing in the morning. Then you delay brushing until after you've had your coffee. If you drink coffee or lemon water, wait at least 30 minutes before brushing because that acid softens your enamel and brushing too soon will cause premature wear.

Amy: But I can't brush when I wake up?

Whitney: So, I typically Well, that's what I normally do. I normally wake up

Amy: Me too. That's the first thing I do.

Whitney: and brush. And that's great. But if you're waiting until after your coffee, don't drink your coffee and then go brush your teeth.

Amy: Oh, okay. No, no.

Whitney: No, you can

Amy: But I brush the moment I wake up.

Whitney: You either brush your teeth as soon as you wake up after your tongue scraping, or you wait until after your coffee, 30 minutes after.

Amy: That's what I do. Okay, good. Cuz I don't want to get Okay. Fine.

Whitney: Then there's something called I looked up how to say this. Hydroxyapatite? Hydroxa-

Amy: Hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite.

Whitney: Hydroxyapatite.

Amy: That is something that that that the that dentist recommended.

Whitney: She said to Yeah, to do it. Yeah, unlike traditional options, the hydroxyapatite is a biocompatible mineral that makes up 90 97% of your enamel, so it helps remineralize your teeth.

Amy: Yes. Yes.

Whitney: Now, here is something that my dentist told me.

Amy: And and you can get a toothpaste fortified with hydroxyapatite, correct?

Whitney: Yes. There are toothpastes that are specifically hydroxyapatite.

Amy: Yes. Yes.

Whitney: Okay, then this is something that I never knew until recently. You are not supposed to spit out the excess tooth- I mean, you can spit out the excess toothpaste, but you're not supposed to rinse afterwards with water. Like what I do is I'll brush my teeth and then I'll rinse it and swish out and spit out the water.

Amy: What?

Whitney: You're not supposed to rinse out the toothpaste. You brush your teeth and spit out the excess toothpaste, but you do not then rinse your mouth out with water. You have to let the minerals of the paste sit on your teeth and strengthen the barrier.

Amy: What?

Whitney: I know. How come we didn't know this?

Amy: No one's ever told What kind of toothpaste do you use?

Whitney: Well, I just use fucking Crest and Colgate, nothing great.

Amy: She's She recommends a lot of different ones.

Whitney: But then But then also, I saw this toothpaste called Hello that I used for a little while, but I don't know if it's a hydroxyapatite.

Amy: Hydroxyapatite.

Whitney: Hydroxyapatite. I don't know. You know.

Amy: I still use Colgate or Crest.

Whitney: I use Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare. That's my favorite. Arm & Hammer Perox-

Amy: Arm & Hammer.

Whitney: PeroxiCare, which is like hydrogen peroxide in it?

Amy: PeroxiCare. Maybe. I don't know. Baking soda.

Whitney: Maybe. Baking soda, yeah. All right, then throughout the day, you rinse with water after meals. You don't have to necessarily brush.

Amy: I like that.

Whitney: And then I had heard about this gum like six months ago, and I and I thought I had a cavity, and I didn't want to go to the dentist. So, I bought this gum.

Amy: Turns out you needed a crown.

Whitney: Yeah, it's maybe. It's this xylitol?

Amy: Xylitol, yes. Xylitol gum.

Whitney: Xylitol? Yes. And you can get in a mint or a gum, and I was using it as a gum because I read, and then this research that I did here also says, it promotes healthy oral environment. It starves off the bacteria responsible for decay. So, if you pop a mint or this xylitol mint or xylitol gum in your mouth after you eat, it's supposed to

Amy: Nice.

Whitney: get, you know, keep that bacteria from

Amy: She recommended that, too. Yeah. I keep pointing at my phone. Yes.

Whitney: Yes, she's she's sitting down here at our feet, Dr. Toni.

Amy: Dr. Toni. Yes.

Whitney: All right. So, so far, let's do a recap: tongue scraping, brush your teeth first thing in the morning or 30 minutes after your coffee or whatever acid lemon water drink that you're drinking, then use a hydroxyapatite toothpaste. Yeah, use that, and then do not rinse

Amy: Hydroxyapatite-fortified toothpaste.

Whitney: Rinse your mouth out with water afterwards.

Amy: Oh, wild.

Whitney: Then after meals rinse it out with water. Use this xylitol mint or gum. And then the most critical step is at night, the mechanical cleaning. Floss or water floss.

Amy: Waterpik, yeah.

Whitney: So, this is the more most important step for longevity. You're removing the bacteria that's creating those leaks that that break down your gum barriers. So focus on just getting below the gumline where the inflammation starts. Flossing or a Waterpik. I have a Waterpik and I really like it, but I never clean it. I don't know I don't know much about a Waterpik. Well, there's water in it and so water's running through it. So just like a humidifier or something I'm thinking I'm supposed to rinse it.

Amy: Probably.

Whitney: Do something with it and I haven't.

Amy: Yeah, it seems like it could get its own bacteria.

Whitney: Yeah, and then even the little picks I haven't ever cleaned. I probably need to.

Amy: Oh, maybe you just should floss.

Whitney: Maybe. Flossing is harder for me. The Waterpik is easy.

Amy: It's really not that bad.

Whitney: The Waterpik is super easy. Then I think a Waterpik sounds cumbersome and like a pain in the ass. No, it's great cuz it's getting in there and then you're watching the little bits of food fall into the sink. It's very rewarding.

Amy: I don't know.

Whitney: Flossing, there is a certain way you're supposed to floss, and I'll talk to you about that in a second.

Amy: Should I tell you how I floss and see if I will test my.

Whitney: Yes, we're gonna test you out. All right, then at night, you brush for full 2 minutes. Now, my dentist tells me get an electric toothbrush. Do not use a hand regular manual toothbrush. It is not getting in the way that it needs to get in there. And for me, I'm brushing too hard. So, if I have the electric toothbrush, I just put it You're supposed to put it on each tooth for like 5 seconds or something. And go around each tooth. So, I gotta get that next.

Amy: I have tried. We bought the Quip ones, I think they were called, and I think that's what it was. And it hurt. I had to return it. It hurt my gums.

Whitney: The toothbrush.

Amy: The electric toothbrush. So,

Whitney: Everybody talks about the Sonic electric toothbrush.

Amy: Sonic, yeah. And then just like a regular one from the store, they say is better than what you use, but I use a RADIUS toothbrush which are like a bigger head. I've used it for so long.

Whitney: But it's not electric.

Amy: It's not. I love it. I love it.

Whitney: What is What are your gums? But what's it

Amy: So, I've tried with the electrics, but I just

Whitney: But do you have receding gum lines?

Amy: I don't think so.

Whitney: How Do you go to the dentist every 6 months?

Amy: Pretty much, but except now that it's Trumpville, I am not sure about that.

Whitney: You got to get somebody else. I have a lot of friends in your area. I'll ask them who their

Amy: Please. Well, I I got to research and find maybe a biological That's what I was about to say.

Whitney: You should do that.

Amy: I'll put it in the show notes. She gave me a website where you can find biological dentists in your area. So maybe I'll go to one of those, but I need somebody that's going to fucking knock me out. Or give me other ways to make it heal.

Whitney: I don't know if biological dentists will do that.

Amy: No, I don't either, but they would at least maybe be like, this is connected to something you're eating, so quit eating that then you get a reprieve. Okay, so

Whitney: All right, so brush your teeth for two full minutes. Use the electric toothbrush with the pressure sensor. So your toothbrush probably didn't have different settings.

Amy: Oh, maybe that's Maybe that's what I need. Maybe.

Whitney: Aggressive brushing can cause gum recession, which is what I'm dealing with. And exposing the root and creating an entry point for systematic infection. Yeah, and I'm already recessed and But I'm going to start talking to my gums and tell them to grow.

Amy: I like that. Let's do that.

Whitney: Let's do that.

Amy: I feel like it could work. I feel like it could work.

Whitney: My eye My vision is getting better.

Amy: What? You're talking to your eyes?

Whitney: I'm telling my eyes to do better.

Amy: How often Are you telling them that all the time?

Whitney: I was doing it like for 6 weeks, and then I've kind of not been doing it.

Amy: Like every day or?

Whitney: Yeah, like when I'm putting my contacts in, I'm like, "Come on, guys. We don't need these. Come on, guys. We don't need these. Do better. Connect your cells and do what you need to do in there."

Amy: Cool. That's a great idea. Okay.

Whitney: But so the last time I went to the eye doctor, my my prescription was better.

Amy: Holy shit.

Whitney: Isn't that crazy? I need to do it better. I need to do it more.

Amy: Wow. Okay, that's really cool.

Whitney: All right. So then the other thing that they say is and you do this, you tape your mouth closed. You really need to ensure that you're nasal breathing, because breathing through your nose is is the best way to deal with keeping your mouth the bacteria out of your mouth. Mouth breathing dries out the oral oral cavity, and it's killing the good bacteria, and it's causing the pH to drop, and it's accelerating tooth decay.

Amy: Not always. Yes. I mean, you've heard when somebody says mouth breathers, that's like an actual

Whitney: My kid is a mouth breather.

Amy: Sorry.

Whitney: I need to get him to tape his mouth.

Amy: Yeah, he he needs to. It's actually good for your jaw line. It's good for all your health. There's a book. Have you read Breath by James Nestor?

Whitney: No.

Amy: Like it's

Whitney: Do you have it? I'll take it.

Amy: It's so good. I listened to Oh, you know what?

Whitney: I have it. I have so many credits on Audible.

Amy: Listen to it. It's Breath by James Nestor. It's so good that I know the name of the book and who wrote it. Like it's so fucking good, because it tells He does all these experiments, too, with somebody else like only breathing through your mouth or only breathing through your nose. Even when you exercise, you should try to breathe through your nose, which is really hard. And it is phenomenal and will change everything about oral health, about Yeah, it's it's incredible.

Whitney: Yeah, that's great. Yeah. I

Amy: Again, it's all connected and that's kind of the point with biological dentistry. Like quit acting like this is its own little isolated thing.

Whitney: Yeah. Well, that's what we're learning just in the medical world right now. I feel like everybody is so specific for their own little

Amy: Yeah. Right.

Whitney: you know, their expertise on one little thing that they don't step back and connect it all with the big picture. And our internists used to do that, but now I feel like they they don't they don't connect it at all. Anyway. All right. I did ask my good friend, ChatGPT, "Why do I have to brush my teeth in the morning if I brush them at night?" Like, I just brush them, and I didn't do anything all night.

Amy: But it smells bad.

Whitney: But it's because the environment in your mouth is a living environment, and it's not going to sleep when you do. And it said it's about cleaning up what happened in your mouth while you were asleep. There's a bacteria party in your mouth. There's a party in your mouth. You're never going to want to French kiss anyone again. The bacteria in your mouth is active, and it reproduces quickly in the warm, dark environment of your mouth.

Amy: That's gross. Gross.

Whitney: So, by the time you wake up, there's a fresh layer of plaque on your teeth, there's there's tartar, and an overnight build up. So, brushing in the morning wipes all that away.

Amy: What is tartar?

Whitney: I don't know. It's something else to do do with plaque and stuff. I'm not sure. Let's look it up. What is tartar?

Amy: I use a tartar control toothpaste. That's one of the things I like. I'm like, "I don't want tartar."

Whitney: Yeah, I don't think we want tartar. It's It's known as dental calculus, essentially dental plaque. It's plaque that's been left on the teeth long enough to harden into a rock-like substance.

Amy: Okay. Oh, yeah. Okay.

Whitney: So, it's hardened plaque.

Amy: That's I get that behind my front teeth. Like right there. I hate it.

Whitney: Yeah. It's because you're not brushing back there.

Amy: I brush like crazy back there, because I know what happens and I'm like

Whitney: Not with an electric toothbrush.

Amy: Oh, Lord.

Whitney: Saliva goes to sleep when you go to sleep, so your mouth isn't isn't salivating at night while you're sleeping. It's just that that's

Amy: Oh. So, the party's going on, but It's a dry party. It's a dry party.

Whitney: Not a kind of party I would want to go to. But it's a dry party in your mouth. Yeah. And your So, let's see. Your body's natural defense.

Amy: I drool in my sleep.

Whitney: Saliva contains oxygen and enzymes that neutralize acids and wash away bacteria, but at night, the production drops significantly.

Amy: But I drool. Like all like If my mouth falls open, if I'm not tape Oh, even if I'm taping, my tape will get completely I'm sorry, I just spit on you. My tape will get completely wet, and I'll be like, "It's soaking wet. What is wrong with That is

Whitney: Yeah, you've told me this. That's right.

Amy: Well, I've always drooled. I've always drooled.

Whitney: This is this There are exceptions to every rule, and not everyone is the same. But you're you're having a wet party in your mouth. Some are having dry parties. You're having That's the only wet party you're allowed to go to, so

Amy: All right.

Whitney: So, protecting your enamel for breakfast. Brushing first thing in the morning provides that defense. I don't I'm on the fence about fluoride. Like, I don't get it at the dentist anymore, the fluoride stuff. Most toothpastes have it. What did your biological dentist say?

Amy: She, too, is not doing fluoride, but I have researched fluoride. There I highly recommend a podcast called, This Podcast Will Kill You. And they have a two-parter on fluoride. Highly recommend. These women, one's like an epidemiologist, and one's some other medical something or other. And fluoride is a naturally occurring substance in our water. So, in many situations where the water supply does not have any fluoride, like say there's a city that doesn't have it, it will be fortified. It is not enough to hurt us. It is According to that podcast and what I've learned, it is safe to do at the dentist and it is good for us.

Whitney: But aren't we getting it in our water? Yeah, I mean, like if it

Amy: A little. Yes, a little. And so, what you're getting at the dentist is not going to hurt you either. She says no, and anyway, I would say listen to the podcast and make up your mind. I personally think it's a good thing, the fluoride, and so I choose to do it.

Whitney: Make your decision. It is a It is a layer of protection.

Amy: I've heard I've heard all the arguments. They they cover all those in that podcast, too. And it is super, super interesting that it is almost lumped in as a talking point and gets very political.

Whitney: Right, right.

Amy: So, We're we're we're making it to do about nothing. Well, it's not about nothing necessarily, but yeah. Actually, when they say it affects brain and stuff, like really the study that they did, "Oh, it it makes you drop IQ points." I think that's one of the big talking points about it. It might have dropped IQ points like two IQ points, and like the study was very small and like it it was not anything significant to where

Whitney: You're not afraid of fluoride.

Amy: I'm not afraid my kids are getting stupider. No. And and like it should be in our water. It's it's absolute

Whitney: Right. That's Our kids are getting stupider because of you know, iPhones and

Amy: Yes, right. And and too much of it is not actually going to make you stupider. What it's going to do is actually make your teeth worse. And so so you don't want too much, but it's it's really closely monitored and it's like we we need it and it's a good thing. It's and it's something naturally occurring occurring. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah. It's another protective layer. Right. Right.

Amy: So, anyway, that's my take on fluoride is different than a lot of people's, and so, I would say listen to those podcasts, and then, and like I download their podcasts like with whatever subjects I'm interested in, and then listen on flights and stuff. It's really interesting. You kind of doze off and listen. They have another really good one on Most of them are about diseases and stuff on that podcast, but so you can choose like the interesting diseases like strep. And but they have another one on like raw milk. So occasionally they'll do a subject like fluoride or raw milk, and they're fucking fascinating.

Whitney: Yeah, yeah. Right. Okay, good to know.

Amy: They do the history of it all, and and and it it's uh highly recommended. So there.

Whitney: All right. So there.

Amy: So there.

Whitney: All right. Well, make your own decision about the fluoride. But at this point, I never want to go back to the dentist again, so I'm going to do it all. I'm going to get the tongue scraper, I'm going to get the electric toothbrush, I'm going to get the hydroxyapatite

Amy: Hydroxyapatite.

Whitney: Yes, toothpaste.

Amy: Yep. Memorize it. How dedicated are you? Come on, say it once correctly.

Whitney: I I know the apatite part.

Amy: Hydroxy.

Whitney: Hydroxyapatite.

Amy: There. If you're dedicated, then you better learn how to fucking say it. Xylitol.

Whitney: Exactly. Xylitol.

Amy: Xylitol.

Whitney: I'm getting it all, you guys, and I'm never going back to the dentist, except for next week to get my actual crown. But it was so horrifying. I'm just trying to keep you guys from living the horror that I had to live. So, please, if you do one thing today, floss.

Amy: I'm like, "Which one is..." Oh shit, we forgot to tell us how you floss, because there is a certain way that you're supposed to floss. Pull it up. Pull up the way. Okay, so I get enough floss to where I don't repeat a section.

Whitney: Okay. Yes. That's right. You're not supposed to repeat, and I didn't- Of course, that makes sense, but I didn't really think about that, and I was just using the same little spot on the floss. And also, I had these little flossers, and you're not supposed to use those either.

Amy: Really? Those are fucking gross. That's what Justin uses, and I'm like, "Those are disgusting."

Whitney: You're not supposed to use them because you can be too hard with it, and it will end up cutting your gum. Yeah.

Amy: Yeah. They're really- I hate those. I hate those. So, yeah, so I use a long enough piece to where I'm like- And I'll leave enough between my fingers to where I'm not using the same little section. Like I use this part, and then I don't have to keep doing it, like keep rewinding it between my fingers. Like I'll leave enough to where I can go and then I'll go and then I'll go and then do it. And you have to do the very back teeth. You can't neglect the very back.

Whitney: Yeah. Okay. Yes. That's correct. That's correct. And the way that- I can't find it in my notes anymore, but the way that I remember them saying it is you take the piece of floss, and you slide it down the side of your tooth, and then you kind of come back up the same side. Like what's- What's this- How do I explain this?

Amy: I just don't want to- I don't want to go too close to my gums. I stay next to my teeth, and I go down down the tooth and back up and then the other tooth and back up. That's what I do.

Whitney: I I agree with you that you don't want to go too down your gums because the point is, you know, that's what that's those pockets. Like, you know, when you go to the dentist, and they'll tell you how deep your pocket is?

Amy: They do? I've never heard that.

Whitney: There's a word for it that's escaping me right now, but yeah. My mom, you know, as you get older, it can happen, but it's because there's there's pockets down in there now because you've created a pocket, and then food gets down in there, and it's just not good. So there is you know-

Amy: Well, anyway, I stick with the- I I put it next to the tooth on one side and then the other side, and then-

Whitney: Yes, you you guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing sawing motion. Do not snap it into your gums because that's how you can cut into it. And then it's a C-shape, that's what it was. So, yeah. The floss reaches the gum line and curve it into the C-shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space. Yeah. But yeah, I've been told not to use those little flossers because they're very hard on your gums, and then you're using the same piece of floss.

Amy: It's painful. Don't do it. Just go along the side of the tooth. Yeah. I know. That's what Justin does, and he walks around doing it, or he'll do it while we're sitting on the couch, and I'm like- I will literally just stop and look at him, and I'm like-

Whitney: "You're disgusting."

Amy: Because the sound of it, and he's like, "Sorry, I'm almost done." I'm like, "Ugh, I hate it so much." And then you know he could be flinging little bits of stuff all over.

Whitney: Well, that's true. I used to keep them in my car when the kids were little, because they wouldn't floss, and I would just have them in the car, and it would be like, "Everybody, floss." But I never thought about I never thought about the fact that it's the same piece of floss going to each tooth, so you're basically just carrying the bacteria from tooth to tooth.

Amy: But you are flossing anyway, why were you telling your kids to floss?

Whitney: Because I knew it was somewhat important. I was trying to be a good mom. What do you What do you think about waxed floss?

Amy: Personally, I prefer waxed floss.

Whitney: Do you have tight teeth? Yeah, you do.

Amy: Maybe Maybe. It just feels better to me. Sometimes unwaxed is a little harsh on my gums, and so I like waxed, and I like mint flavored. But it just depends on the person. I don't know, they I think there is a philosophy that one is better than the other, but-

Whitney: If your teeth are tightly close together and you don't have a lot of gaps, which I have some gaps, but then there are some teeth that are close together, the waxed floss, you're not going to damage your gum. It's not bad, no. It's best if your teeth are close together.

Amy: So it's not bad. Okay, good. That's what I I do. I use the waxed mint, and I But you know what, in a pinch, I'll use whatever. I just-

Whitney: Yeah. I'm still using the water I was proud that I got the Waterpik, but now I think I have to do both, and I probably need to throw my Waterpik away and start over.

Amy: Just get a new one, get a new one, and I think-

Whitney: I think I'm going to have to, because I've never-

Amy: There's probably some advances too that have some sort of sonic cleaning thing with it or whatever, so yeah, probably.

Whitney: Yeah, maybe so. All right. Floss, electric toothbrush, tongue scraper. You'll thank me in 20 years when you have all your teeth and have never had to experience the horror of a crown or a root canal.

Amy: Oh, I'm so sorry. Yeah, she goes into root canals on there, and and boy, that's fascinating too. But she also said you can heal cavities. You can heal cavities, you can- I know.

Whitney: Okay, with the gum?

Amy: With the gum.

Whitney: That's what I thought, and for like 6 months, I chewed it.

Amy: Or with the hydroxyapatite, hydroxyapatite. I think that I think there was more than hydroxyapatite, right?

Whitney: Okay, because I I had read about that gum and tried to chew it for quite a while, and then still had a cavity.

Amy: Isn't that fun to say? No, I think it's I think it's the other stuff. So, maybe listen to those too if you're interested. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah. We hope we have helped you today in some way, and thank you for listening.

Amy: I mean do what you want. You know what? It takes all kinds. Maybe you love going to the dentist. Maybe there's-

Whitney: And I mean, maybe you don't want all your teeth.

Amy: I had an old boyfriend who said that his mom had tooth problems-

Whitney: Are you going to say that didn't have teeth?

Amy: He said his mom had tooth problems, and he was like, "So she just had them all pulled." And I remember being so mortified.

Whitney: I know. It's like that's my worst nightmare. Look, if it if it gets to a point where that's your only option, then of course you you want to have teeth in your mouth, but- There are actors that get all veneers, and that is literally-

Amy: They shave your teeth down to nothing.

Whitney: Yeah, putting them making them nubs. Did you say nubs, too?

Amy: I did. They are. They shave them down to nubs.

Whitney: Yeah. They're little nubs, and then all their teeth look fake.

Amy: You have big giant teeth, I know, I know. I know.

Whitney: Horse teeth. Yeah. I'm going to keep these pearly whites. And do my best to I'm going to start flossing every day, Amy.

Amy: I have a lot of stories. I have a lot of trauma stories that just leap to mind. I remember watching Anna Nicole Smith when she got her teeth redone and like how traumatized she was and like I remember thinking-

Whitney: I don't remember that.

Amy: Remember her show?

Whitney: The Anna Nicole Show? No. Anna Nicole Smith TV show?

Amy: Yeah. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah. I've blocked that out.

Amy: You don't remember it? It was like one of the early reality shows. It was a train wreck.

Whitney: Oh, wait, yeah. It was a reality show. It wasn't a talk show.

Amy: No, reality.

Whitney: Oh, yeah. No, no, no, no. Oh, I was watching that.

Amy: I remember her getting her teeth redone, and I was like- She was a hot fucking mess.

Whitney: But I don't remember that. Bless her heart, she really was.

Amy: I know, but I love her. I know.

Whitney: I've seen Did you see her daughter recently? Like they were just on something like maybe in the last year. Maybe it was the anniversary or something, I don't know.

Amy: Oh, wow.

Whitney: He still looks the same.

Amy: He does?

Whitney: He's a little weird looking.

Amy: Wait, was it Howard?

Whitney: No.

Amy: No.

Whitney: Howard was the attorney.

Amy: The attorney. He's dead too, maybe.

Whitney: I think so. I think he died of cancer.

Amy: No, the dad, that's right.

Whitney: The dad, but now- He kind of looked like Kato Kaelin or something. Yeah, he had this weird hair.

Amy: Yeah, yeah.

Whitney: Daniel?

Amy: Daniel maybe. The son was Daniel, too.

Whitney: I don't know. Anyway, I know we're annoying all of you listening, you're yelling out these people's names, and we don't know them.

Amy: No, it's fun. You're enjoying it. You're walking down memory lane of Anna Nicole Smith.

Whitney: You're loving it. Well, come back for more, everyone.

Amy: Yes, please do. Email us if you want to anythingbutmidpodcast@gmail. Follow us on the socials @anythingbutmid. Please subscribe to our YouTube, all that. We're working to build it up, and and it's exciting.

Whitney: Yeah, and if you're just listening and want to watch this in action, head on over to our YouTube channel, and you can see this video.

Amy: Yeah. And you can email us, share a mid moment or suggested topic. We're open to ideas all the time, so thank you so much for being here. We love you so much, and do what you fucking want.

Whitney: Yes. Topic. Yes. Do what you want.

Amy: Yeah.