Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper has found himself at the center of a viral social media storm, not for his presence on the baseball diamond but for his highly unconventional oral hygiene routine.
A TikTok video showed Harper squeezing toothpaste directly into his mouth from the tube, bypassing the toothbrush. This peculiar morning ritual quickly ignited bewilderment and “horror” among fans.
The clip rapidly gained traction, accumulating over 2.7 million views on Jomboy Media alone. Social media users expressed amusement and disbelief with one follower writing, “Actually diabolical toothpaste application.”
The San Diego Padres, Harper’s opponents, playfully trolled the star, displaying his unique habit as a “fun fact” on their videoboard when he came to bat: “SQUIRTS TOOTHPASTE INTO HIS MOUTH INSTEAD OF ONTO A TOOTHBRUSH WHEN BRUSHING HIS TEETH.”
Addressing the blowback, Harper remained unfazed.
“It kind of happens when you post a little bit, right?” he told Phillies Nation. “But yeah, I’ve done it forever.”
The two-time NL MVP insisted this was his long-standing practice. He embraced the virality, stating, “I mean, it’s gone viral, so I’m happy about that. It always helps with my videos when it goes viral, so if that’s what makes it go viral, then I’ll take it.”
He added, “If I help half a person a day… then I won that day.”
The American Dental Association (ADA) quickly advised against Harper’s technique. Dr. Andrew Zucker, an Ohio dentist and consumer advisor for the ADA, initially thought Harper was joking.
“It is not suggested to do it that way,” Dr. Zucker said. “I don’t think there’s anything to be gained. The only thing to be lost is just wasting a whole bunch of toothpaste.”
He emphasized the standard recommendation: “Just put a little pea-sized bit of it on a toothbrush and that’s all you need.”
Dr. Zucker, whose parents are also dental professionals, noted the rarity of such a method among adults, having only seen his “3-year-old and it was because he was trying to eat it. But no, I’ve never seen an adult brush their teeth this way.”
Dr. Maria Ryan, chief clinical officer at Colgate-Palmolive, echoed concerns regarding potential hygiene issues.
“My only concern would be, you have a lot of germs in your mouth,” she explained. “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.”
Despite the unconventional approach, Harper’s method has evidently worked for him, evidenced by his sparkling smile accompanying 376 career home runs and eight All-Star appearances.
Dr. Ryan acknowledged a positive takeaway: “I was glad he was brushing his teeth. It’s good he’s telling people you need to brush your teeth, which is very important for preventing cavities and gum disease.”
She concluded, however, that while it’s a “unique way of doing it, for sure,” she “probably wouldn’t do it that way or instruct my patients to do it that way.”
Ultimately, the viral moment serves as a quirky reminder that even baseball heroes have their eccentricities, potentially inspiring reluctant fans to brush – albeit in a more conventional manner.
