How to Turn Brushing Your Teeth Into a Moment of Self-Care

When you think of self-care, practices like ice rolling, hair masking, meditation, and journaling are what traditionally come to mind. Brushing your teeth usually doesn’t qualify. Our question is: Why not? Ultimately, self-care is any act of self-preservation that helps ground you and improves your quality of life — while sparking joy in the process. Brushing your teeth may not be the most glamorous activity, but it is necessary for a healthier you. Rather than treating this act — something that’s recommended we do twice a day, mind you — as just another box to check, why not invest in yourself with products that help you feel your best?

Let’s start with replacing your hardware. Manual toothbrushes are convenient, sometimes even free if you have a generous dentist, but they won’t catapult your mundane brushing routine from a crucial formality to a gratifying ritual. An electric toothbrush, however? Now that’s a game-changer.

For the easiest transition from manual to electric, try the new Oral-B iO Series 2 Electric Toothbrush, which offers an elevated, one-of-a-kind brushing experience that not only promises to remove 100 percent more plaque for a deeper clean than a regular manual toothbrush, but also makes teeth-brushing feel more intentional.

Designed to delight electric-toothbrush beginners, the iO Series 2 starts in sensitive mode, which helps make the switch from manual to electric more intuitive. It even comes with a gentle, round brush head inspired by dentists and equipped with an automatic pressure sensor to protect and adapt to your specific gums. In addition to sensitive mode, the brush features an all-in-one power button offering two other unique cleaning settings that help you achieve a personalized, deep clean. At $65, even the price point hits the mark compared to other electric toothbrushes.

A shiny new toothbrush isn’t all you’ll need to undergo an oral-health rebrand. In order to qualify as a true self-care ritual, the seven minutes or so, including flossing, that you spend on your teeth daily, should feel relaxing and joyful. Maybe dim the lights or slip into your fluffiest slippers. Make it a point to listen to some mood-boosting music or a favorite podcast, and use a toothpaste that tastes and feels especially good to you.

Instead of viewing brushing your teeth as a chore, let it be the first and last step in your day that inspires healthier habits — essentially, let it become the catalyst for upping every element of your self-care routine. Perhaps brushing your teeth can also be part of an existing meditation or self-affirmation practice. Reflecting on the good you just did for your body could sound something like this: “I enjoy taking care of myself and my body” or “I breathe deeply, filling my body with energy and peace.” So, let’s reframe the way we think about self-care away from adding extra activities that end up costing you time and unwanted stress, to investing in quality versions of the products you’re already using to improve your daily routine and overall health.

With these adaptations, before long, you may just start looking forward to brushing your teeth. When you view oral health as self-care, you’ll enjoy it more, and with that, healthier teeth and gums are sure to follow as an added bonus.