You didn’t really think that you were going to ward off cavities just with your old, bent-bristle toothbrush and some bargain-bin toothpaste, did you?

If you’re going to beat back cavities for good, you’re going to need to have all the right equipment at hand.

Sometimes, recommending the right tools for the job requires a little humility. Here at Epic Dental, we want you to get the best possible results for your smile, even if that means recommending someone else’s products to get the job done.

Get a great electric toothbrush - We recommend the Oral-B Pro 6000 SmartSeries

Personally, I use the  Oral-B Pro 6000 SmartSeries, and I love it, but there are a number of great electric toothbrushes out there for just about any budget. I know that the up-front price can be a jump from what you’re used to paying for a toothbrush, but it’s simply much easier to get the results you need from an electric toothbrush.

I’m a fan of Oral-B for a couple of reasons.

For me, having a positive, comfortable experience is key. I prefer the round brushing heads on the Oral-B, but most of all it just feel great in my hand. I feel like I’m getting a true deep clean of my smile without feeling like my teeth are being vibrated out of my skull.

The built-in technology is a big plus for me. The Oral-B will signal to you to let you know how long to brush and which areas to focus on as you’re brushing, ensuring that you’re giving your pearly-whites the luxury treatment they need.

One final piece of advice- regardless of which electric toothbrush you choose, we recommend that you use soft-bristled heads. Hard bristles are often responsible for additional damage or gum erosion, without any added benefit. There’s no reason to take the risk. The Oral-B Pro 6000 SmartSeries has additional pressure-sensing technology that will help you to make sure you’re not over-brushing.

#2 - Waterpik Nano

Look, we all know most people don’t floss every day, and I think it’s time we all accept that and find a solution that people will actually use.

A water-flosser like the Waterpik Nano is much more realistic for most people - stick it next to your toothbrush and add a couple of minutes to your normal routine.

The Waterpik Nano does a great job at washing food particles and germs out of the cracks and crevices between your teeth and under your gumline. You also don’t have to mess with a line of floss that’s constantly breaking or needs to be replaced.

My wife loves seeing a clean countertop in the bathroom, which is why I prefer the Nano version of the Waterpik - it’s easy to pack up and hide in a drawer while still being fully accessible on a day to day basis.

Another quick tip - I like to toss a splash of Epic Oral Rinse into my Waterpik at home, so that I can reap the benefits of xylitol while I’m “flossing.”

#3 - A Water Bottle

The previous tools on my list run a little pricey, but here’s one that won’t break the bank - find yourself a nice reusable water bottle and keep it with you and filled (with water!) at all times.

Ok, before you run away laughing, here’s what this is really about - getting serious about protecting your smile from tooth-eroding, cavity-causing acid.

Every time you eat or drink, chances are you’re introducing acid into your mouth. The longer that acid sits on your teeth, the more your teeth will erode, until eventually you find yourself sitting in the dentist’s office with a drill in your mouth.

If you’re someone who habitually drinks coffee, tea, or soda all day long, you’re essentially giving your teeth an all-day soak in an acid bath. And even if you’re not, it’s important to buffer against acid from your meals, snacks, and soda as soon as possible.

Of course, we recommend another killer tool to help out with this problem below, but one easy thing you can do is take a quick drink from that water bottle immediately after you expose your teeth to acid. Doing so will help to flush some of the acid away from your teeth.

I really don’t have a particular recommendation here, just find a water bottle you like, keep it filled up, and you’ll see your dental bills shrinking in no time.

#4 - Xylitol Gum, Mints, & Toothpaste

You really didn’t think we’d leave this out, did you?

As we outlined above, acid is a significant threat to your smile and the ultimate cause of most cavities. However, not all that acid comes from the food you eat. Some is produced by harmful oral bacteria lurking in your mouth.

Study after study after study has proven that xylitol targets and removes harmful cavity-causing oral bacteria. You can get great work done by cutting out acid exposure, but xylitol is simply the most powerful tool available for combating cavities, as it works to proactively prevent damage to your teeth.

Epic Gum & Mints are the one-two punch your teeth need to fight back against cavities and leave you with a slippery-smooth, cavity-free smile. They’ll help you to buffer against acid attacks in the moments that you need it most, removing acid from your smile in ways that your water bottle simply can't. What's more, they put xylitol to work eliminating acid-producing, cavity-causing oral bacteria, reducing how much acid your teeth are exposed to in the first place.

We’re obviously a little biased, but if you are serious about addressing the daily threat of acid to your smile, I wholeheartedly recommend Epic Gum & Mints. Thing is, I'm not the only one - our customers and dental professionals agree that Epic Gum & Mints have been indispensable in creating the slippery-smooth smiles they crave.

We also recommend Epic Xylitol Toothpaste as simply the best option on the market for supercharging your toothbrushing experience with the cavity-crushing power of xylitol.