Dr. Ellie Phillips, an oral health expert from Austin, Texas, claims she hasn’t had a dentist clean her teeth in 40 years.
Still, said Dr. Phillips said in a video that has been viewed more than 3.5 million times that her teeth are completely healthy.
Even dentists say so; she’s recently been ‘poked and pooped on in every possible way’ by several people, who say her mouth is still in good shape despite the skipped cleanings.
Her routine is at odds with official recommendations, which recommend visiting the dentist every six months for a cleaning.
Dr. Phillips claims she hasn’t had to have her teeth cleaned in over 40 years and said her passion is helping people avoid needing dental care
Although Dr. Phillips hasn’t had her teeth cleaned in 40 years, she said she visits a dental office occasionally to make sure her teeth are in good shape. Her most recent checkup, which took place in 2023, went off without incident, she said.
Dr. Phillips, a board-certified dentist, says she’s developed a regimen that allows her to avoid time-consuming appointments while maintaining a healthy smile.
This includes a daily oral care routine that consists of three mouthwashes, two separate toothbrushes, and several sticks of medicated gum per day.
“My real passion is helping people avoid dental treatment,” said Dr. Phillips.
The American Dental Association recommends a professional teeth cleaning every six months, but notes that this may change depending on your individual oral care needs.
‘Regular dental cleaning is one of the most important things you can do to care for your teeth’ Dr. Jeff Kindsethsaid a dentist based in Dana Point, California.
Despite these recommendations, Dr. Phillips decided 40 years ago to see how long she could go without a professional cleaning. Every few years, she goes to the dentist to make sure her teeth are in good shape and asks if she needs a cleaning — but she says they always send her home.
Dr.’s oral care routine Phillips goes well beyond the toothbrush and into an all-day product, focusing on the addition of a sweetener called xylitol.
Xylitol is a sweet substance that occurs naturally in strawberries, mushrooms and corn, among other things.
It contains 40 percent fewer calories than sugar and has been shown to stop the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth that can eat away at tooth enamel. according to Delta Dental.
It was approved by the FDA as a food additive in 1986. It is often found in chewing gum. In high doses it can cause diarrhea, but it is generally considered safe for humans.
In Finland, chewing xylitol gum is part of a public health recommendation from dental authorities, which promote its anti-cavity properties. Dr. Phillips produces and uses its own brand of xylitol gum, called Zellies.
Every day, she aims to get between five and ten grams of xylitol by chewing her gum after every meal, snack or drink.
Then there is the cleaning routine.
First, she rinses her mouth for a minute with an unflavored antibacterial rinse, such as CoSYS.
Immediately afterwards she takes one of the two toothbrushes. She has one specifically for nighttime care and one for the morning – because she likes to let the bristles dry completely between uses to eradicate bacteria.
She wets the brush and applies Crest anticavity toothpaste, then uses a gentle, circular motion to brush her teeth and gums.
When she’s done, she rinses her mouth with Listerine until it “starts to feel warm.” Using mouthwash instead of tap water helps prevent the fluoride from the toothpaste from rinsing off her teeth.
After the Listerine, she takes a mouthwash with fluoride against cavities, from the ACT brand. These mouthwashes “work synergistically and work harmoniously with the xylitol to improve the health of your mouth,” Dr. Phillips said on her TikTok account, which has 473,800 followers.
An oral care routine is important, but genetics are also thought to play a large role in your oral health. For example, research has suggested you are between 20 and 85 percent more likely to get cavities if your parents had them.
The children of Dr. Phillips were subjected to some of the same dental hygiene tests as her and had similar measurements, which could be a sign that they are following their mother’s protocol and that they inherited her teeth.
TikTok users were quick to point this out in her video.
Additionally, the fact that Dr. Phillips has a background in dentistry means that she practices good oral health more often than a regular person.
Dental associations recommend that average people have their teeth cleaned regularly as this will prevent you from developing dental problems that require surgery, as well as prevent bad breath and gum disease. according to Cleveland Clinic.
They added that keeping the mouth clean by brushing regularly also reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
“In addition to preventing certain oral health problems, brushing your teeth is also essential for maintaining good overall physical health, not just oral health,” says Dr. Kindseth. ‘Good oral hygiene is an absolutely essential aspect of personal health. ‘
