Should You should rinse your mouth after brushing?
No, you should not rinse with water after brushing your teeth, as this washes away beneficial fluoride. Spitting out the excess toothpaste allows the fluoride to remain on your teeth, strengthening your enamel and making it more resistant to decay. If you feel the need to rinse, consider a very small amount of water or wait a while before using a fluoride mouthwash.
Why you should not rinse with water
- Fluoride protection: Fluoride from toothpaste strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent cavities. Rinsing with water immediately after brushing washes the protective fluoride away, reducing its effectiveness.
- Maximize benefits: Leaving the fluoride on your teeth for several minutes provides the most benefit. Spitting out the excess allows the fluoride to continue working long after you’ve finished brushing.
- Environmental benefit: Not rinsing can also help you conserve water, as people who don’t rinse often don’t leave the tap running.
What to do instead
- Spit, don’t rinse: After you brush, simply spit out the excess toothpaste and foam.
- Consider waiting to rinse: If you need ro rinse, wait for at least 10 minutes or use only a very small amount of water to swish and spit.
- Use fluoride mouth strategically: If you use mouthwash, using a fluoride-based one can be beneficial. However, using it immediately after brushing can still wash away some of the toothpaste’s fluoride mouthwash at a separate time of day.
At the Smile Team, we provide our clients with the best treatment options for them so book a consultation with Dr. Abid Hidayat today. We are open Mondays to Saturdays and speak GUJARATI, HINDI, URDU, TAGALOG and ARABIC. You can reach our family dental care office in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, by calling 416-546-5599.