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I've found that being obsessive about oral hygiene is worth it.  The expense aside (and a trip to the dentist is always pricey), who wants the pain and suffering of a filling (or worse)?  That's why I always ask my dentist if there's any more preventative care I can add to my routine, and have come up with the following complex daily regimen:

• Mornings I brush with an electric toothbrush (better for the gums), then use both a Listerine-type mouthwash (to kill germs, although I want to research this more since I read recently that this might be a bad idea, akin to killing off your good gut bacteria) and an ACT-type mouthwash (for fluoride, since our well-water is fluoride-free, and I'm willing to swish with fluoride despite the potential dangers of drinking it)
  
• Evenings I floss, and brush

But when I went to the dentist Wednesday, I reported I'd felt a little twinge in one tooth recently.  Did I have a cavity?

"Did you just start using a whitening toothpaste?" the hygienist asked.  Well, yes, I guess I did.  She explained that baking soda and any other additives in toothpaste can cause your gums to recede since the chemicals irritate the skin in your mouth.  My hygienist always recommends the plainest toothpaste you can find, but one that contains fluoride.

My dentist came in then and added in her two cents.  Since I'm already using a fluoride mouthwash, she doesn't see why I need to use toothpaste at all.  The mechanical movement of the brush is what cleans your teeth --- toothpaste just gives you that minty-fresh breath (and a dose of fluoride).

This is the best dentist I've ever had, so I'm inclined to trust her judgment.  And who doesn't want to save $12 a year on toothpaste?   Here's hoping that at my next annual checkup, I'll once again be cavity-free.

Keeping your chickens healthy starts with clean water.