Flossing grabbed headlines recently when the American Dental Association seemed to change its stance on the benefits of the practice. But longtime New York dentist Dr. Lewis Gross says the switch stemmed from an accidental omission in federal dietary guidelines, a publishing error that was falsely given ADA approval. While the ADA’s recommendation remains the same—brushing for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once a day and getting regular dental checkups—Gross, a holistic dentist for 35 years, says those guidelines are “simplistic and overly reliant on fluoridation of the water supply.”

Cleaning between teeth is still the best way to remove plaque, he says, but “fluoride only works as a topical application in children’s teeth and has no benefit to adults. Giving every child a tube of toothpaste and letting them spit would be safer and not expose the entire population to this insidious chemical. Alternative products, such as Mi paste, use magnesium.”

Gross educates his patients to use “conscious hygiene,” addressing the weak spots in their dental health with the correct tools—whether that’s ozone irrigation and essential oils for bleeding gums or bad breath; hydrogen peroxide for certain bacteria; or Alka-White mouthwash and hydration for excessive acidity.

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