Bryce Harper, the star hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, sparked controversy after posting a video on social media showing him squeezing toothpaste straight from the tube into his mouth instead of onto a toothbrush. The American Dental Association urged people not to follow his example.
Harper's Video Squeezing Toothpaste Straight Into His Mouth
According to the AP, Harper posted a video of his morning routine, filmed in a hotel bathroom during a May road trip to face the San Diego Padres, on TikTok. Captioned "Moring Y'all," the clip showed him bringing a toothpaste tube straight to his mouth and squeezing it in. That single moment set off a flood of reactions from fans. A video posted by one sports outlet alone racked up more than 2.7 million views. In the next game, the opposing San Diego Padres even poked fun at Harper's unusual habit on the scoreboard, billing it as a "fun fact."
Wasted Toothpaste and the Risk of Spreading Bacteria
Andrew Zucker, an Ohio dentist who serves as a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association, said he doesn't recommend Harper's method. "I don't think there's anything to be gained," Zucker said. "The only thing to be lost is just wasting a whole bunch of toothpaste." He added that a small amount is all anyone needs: "Just put a little pea-sized bit of it on a toothbrush and that's all you need." Zucker, who is 45, also said he had never in his life seen an adult brush their teeth this way. Maria Ryan, a dentist and chief clinical officer at Colgate-Palmolive, pointed to hygiene concerns as well. "My only concern would be, you have a lot of germs in your mouth," she said. "When you're putting your mouth on the toothpaste tube, you get those germs on there. Sometimes people share toothpaste and things like that, so I worry about that a little bit."
His Brushing Habit and the Right Amount of Toothpaste
Positive Views on the Brushing Itself
Still, both dentists gave Harper credit for brushing his teeth in the first place. Ryan said it's a good thing that word of Harper brushing his teeth reached so many people even if his method is unusual, adding that brushing is the most basic habit for preventing cavities and gum disease. "I was glad he was brushing his teeth," she said. "I see he's gotten a lot of views. It's good he's telling people you need to brush your teeth, which is very important for preventing cavities and gum disease. But it's a unique way of doing it, for sure. So, I probably wouldn't do it that way or instruct my patients to do it that way." Harper, for his part, seemed unbothered by the controversy. "If I help half a person a day, changing an ingredient or letting them know there are better quality products out there that they can use or that'll make them feel better, then I won that day," he said.
A Pea-Sized Amount of Toothpaste Is Enough
Advice on how much toothpaste to use is much the same in Korea. Lancette VanGuilder, president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association, likewise explained that a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is enough for brushing. People commonly squeeze out about an inch of toothpaste, but far less is actually needed since a toothbrush's physical bristle action alone can clear away food debris and plaque. Using too much toothpaste can create excess foam, giving a false sense of having brushed thoroughly, or even lead to gum bleeding.
Aside from the novelty of squeezing toothpaste straight from the tube into the mouth, dentists in Korea and the United States agree on the underlying point: there's no need to use a lot of toothpaste.