Tanner Freeman is a vibrant African American third grader. Like many third graders in America, he does not like to brush his teeth. His younger sister, Nia, is a sassy second grader who loves to brush her teeth. The book begins with the family’s daily bathroom ritual in which Tanner’s mom is forced to brush his teeth for him.
As Nia and even some of Tanner’s friends start to tease him more about his bad breath, Tanner starts to get anxious about his overall oral hygiene. He’s starting to get a reputation as one of the stinky-breath kids at school.
Fortunately for Tanner, it is time for his biannual checkup with Dr. Bobbi, their family dentist. Nia loves going to see Dr. Bobbi; she has never had cavities. Tanner is a little scared due to his newly realized bad-breath issue. During Tanner’s checkup, Dr. Bobbi finds cavities and speaks with him about his oral hygiene problem. Tanner is embarrassed, but Dr. Bobbi tells him a story about his own history that boosts his confidence and encourages him to take responsibility for his own oral health care.
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