I’m the dentist – here’s the truth about rinsing after brushing

This is a brush work.

After years of being told to spit and rinse, Americans are now being told to simply spit, as dental experts pour water on the notion of swish-swishing after caring for our pearly whites.

Brittany Seymour, a representative of the American Dental Association and a professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, has recommended that people should brush their teeth at least twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride.

“When you rinse, you’re basically washing away the active ingredients of the toothpaste that you just put on your teeth,” Margherita Fontana, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, told the Washington Post.

If it’s absolutely necessary to wash off the minty taste of the paste, then it’s best to rinse it 20 minutes after the initial brush or take a small sip of water, say the pros.

“Another option for those who want to rinse after brushing is to follow up with a mouthwash that contains fluoride,” she continued.

According to a 1999 study of over 2,800 teenagers in England, those who used less mouthwash after brushing had fewer cavities and decayed teeth than those who rinsed thoroughly.

They also found that for people with healthier teeth, skipping the H2O splash isn’t as important as it is for those on a high-sugar diet.

The extra fluoride left in the mouth from the toothpaste can be a big help in these cases.

For children, the amount of fluoride ingested should be monitored. Children who are younger than three years should only brush their teeth with a blob or blob of paste the size of a grain of rice. Ages 3 to 6 should only use a pea-sized syringe for their puffs.

Pediatric dentist Scott Cashion advised that to prevent children from swallowing toothpaste, they should spit out as much as they can.

“We recommend that they spit it out, but try not to rinse it out,” he said. “When they go to bed, if there’s fluoride on those teeth, it’s going to help protect them at night.”

Another thing that is apparently bad for your helicopters is drinking too much water throughout the day.

Texas-based dentist Dr. Ellie Phillips posted a TikTok video in November explaining why.

“Drinking water all day is not good for your teeth. And this applies to all liquids. Saliva, or saliva that comes into your mouth, is the most healing fluid in your mouth, Phillips said.

“It can help heal your teeth because it’s full of all the minerals your teeth need, and it also has immune cells and proteins that are necessary for gum healing.”

According to WebMD, saliva has proteins that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay. Therefore, by constantly drinking water, you are diluting your saliva and reducing its benefits.