Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing are vital to maintaining good oral health. When you are done brushing, you may want to reach for that little tumbler of water to rinse your mouth, but stop! Before you go rinsing your mouth after a good brushing, there are a few things you need to know.
Fluoridated Tooth Paste
When you are choosing a toothpaste for your daily brushing, be sure that you choose a paste that has been recommended by the American Dental Association.
Check the label and make sure that your favorite paste also has fluoride in it, because, even as an adult, your teeth need it. Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel in your teeth, preventing plaque, tartar and bacteria from attaching and causing tooth decay.
So what happens if you take your time, floss between every tooth, brush for the full two minutes and then spit and rinse? Well, all that hard work, all of the fluoride that you just applied to your teeth, goes swirling down the drain with the water. Instead of rinsing with water, simply spit out the toothpaste and be done. If you absolutely need a rinse after brushing, we suggest that you purchase a fluoridated mouth rinse to use in the place of plain water. However, it is best if you do not rinse at all for at least 30 minutes after brushing.
The bottom line is that the most important part of your oral health care is making sure that you are brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Studies have shown that it is best not to rinse after brushing because that rinses away the fluoride that you have just applied to your teeth.
Give our office a call if you have any questions about what fluoridated toothpaste you should choose, and do not forget to schedule your next cleaning!