Struggle Care

15: When Brushing Your Teeth is Hard with Dr. Taylor McFarland DDS

Listen Later

Dental hygiene is a Struggle Care issue that elicits very strong feelings, as evidenced by the number of responses I receive to any social media post on this topic. Why do so many people feel strongly about brushing their teeth? Let’s talk about it with today’s guest!

Taylor McFarland is a pediatric dentist, wife, and mother who creates content on social media about dental care. She and I follow each other on TikTok, and I knew she was the perfect person to help us dive into the problem of why brushing teeth is a big Struggle Care topic for many people. 

Show Highlights:

  • How Dr. Taylor, as a pediatric dentist, came to the unique viewpoint of understanding why mental health issues cause people to struggle with teeth brushing
  • Why everyone who experiences this struggle thinks they are THE ONLY ONE
  • Helpful tips on how to find a dentist who will most likely be more understanding
  • Why it helps to be honest about your specific barriers to brushing
  • The purpose behind brushing—and why it’s OK to skip the toothpaste!
  • How to “pick the pain” that will increase your functioning
  • The purpose of toothpaste–(Fluoride is the key!)
  • Why sodium lauryl sulfate is usually the ingredient that bothers most people who have toothpaste sensitivity
  • Dr. Taylor’s tips for people bothered by toothpaste, and toothbrush bristles
  • How apps can make brushing more tolerable, especially with electric toothbrushes
  • Why it sometimes helps to brush your teeth in a different place, like in the shower or the kitchen
  • Why charcoal toothpaste is NOT the best option for daily use


    • Resources:

    Connect with Dr. Taylor: TikTok, Instagram, and Website

     Connect with KC: TikTok, Instagram, and Website (Click the “Hygiene” tab under “Resources” for more information about teeth brushing!)

    Get KC’s book, How to Keep House While Drowning

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    Struggle CareBy KC Davis
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    734 ratings

    More shows like Struggle Care

    View all
    ADHD Experts Podcast by ADDitude

    ADHD Experts Podcast

    1,326 Listeners

    A Slob Comes Clean by Dana K. White: A Slob Comes Clean

    A Slob Comes Clean

    2,491 Listeners

    Edit Your Life | Simplify + Declutter Your Home, Time, and Mental Space by Christine Koh

    Edit Your Life | Simplify + Declutter Your Home, Time, and Mental Space

    516 Listeners

    Clutterbug - Real-Life Hacks and Tips to Declutter, Organize and Clean your Home Fast by Clutterbug

    Clutterbug - Real-Life Hacks and Tips to Declutter, Organize and Clean your Home Fast

    2,078 Listeners

    Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children by Debbie Reber

    Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

    981 Listeners

    What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson

    What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms

    1,001 Listeners

    ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka by Tracy Otsuka

    ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

    1,512 Listeners

    I Have ADHD Podcast by Kristen Carder

    I Have ADHD Podcast

    2,880 Listeners

    Feminist Survival Project by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

    Feminist Survival Project

    364 Listeners

    Maintenance Phase by Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

    Maintenance Phase

    16,531 Listeners

    Good Inside with Dr. Becky by Dr. Becky Kennedy

    Good Inside with Dr. Becky

    4,526 Listeners

    We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

    We Can Do Hard Things

    41,556 Listeners

    The Burnt Toast Podcast by Virginia Sole-Smith

    The Burnt Toast Podcast

    420 Listeners

    Sorry, I Missed This: The Everything Guide to ADHD and Relationships with Cate Osborn by Cate Osborn, Understood.org

    Sorry, I Missed This: The Everything Guide to ADHD and Relationships with Cate Osborn

    53 Listeners