Have you been brushing your teeth the wrong way? Why it’s time to stop rinsing
Over the course of your lifetime, you’ve probably brushed your teeth thousands of times, but have you been doing it the wrong way all this time? Brushing is something our dentists urge us to do twice a day, every day, but what is the right technique, and why is it time to stop rinsing?
When you clean your teeth, what method do you employ? Do you brush as hard as you can for a while and then spit your toothpaste out and rinse your mouth? If so, stop! Dentists are keen to encourage gentle brushing, and put a stop to rinsing. If you brush hard, you may think that you’re doing a more thorough job. In reality, you may actually be doing more harm than good. This is because brushing vigorously can damage your enamel.
Rinsing has probably been part of your oral care regime for as long as you can remember. There’s nothing dangerous about rinsing, but you may be missing out on the benefits of some ingredients found in your toothpaste. When you rinse immediately after brushing, this rids the mouth of important minerals like fluoride and calcium and ingredients such as Novamin, which are designed to strengthen the enamel and protect your teeth from acid erosion and sensitivity. Rather than rinsing your mouth after brushing, brush, spit, and then you’re done.
Cambridge-based hospital dentist. Dr Thomas O’Connor explained that many patients are unwittingly missing out on the benefits of all the fancy sounding minerals you see listed on the tube of toothpaste because they’re rinsing straight after brushing. It takes time for these minerals to be absorbed, so leaving some of the toothpaste behind is a great way to improve your brushing regime.
