Healthier
Why we should not rinse after brushing
Many people ordinarily rinse their mouth out with water after brushing their teeth. It is a habit. So it can be quite disconcerting when you are told that a better advice is not to rinse your mouth after brushing: just spit out the excess paste and lather.
A Nigerian Doctor based in UK, Dr Harvey Olufunmilayo, kicked up a storm when he wrote on Twitter calling for a stop to the habit of a water rinse after brushing.
Nothing is wrong with water, but it washes out the fluoride in the paste that ought to strengthen the teeth, prevent decay give a sense of freshness—all those things the toothpaste commercials promise.
While some Nigerians kicked against the suggestion saying it will make them feel awkward and spit for a long time, others agreed with the doctor saying they have tied it for months and years and they could testify to the fresh breath and whiter teeth that comes with not rinsing after brushing.
Dr Joe Abah replied on his handle that he now has whiter teeth and fresher breath since he stopped rinsing after brushing. Another Nigerian, Oluseyi Stephen said when he visited a dentist a couple of years back to have his teeth cleaned, he was informed that he should stop rinsing after brushing.
“I started doing it last year and I have great results.”
Asides Dr Olufunmilayo, other opinions include that of CNN health. According to the CNN health, “Don’t eat or drink anything except water after brushing at night. This also gives fluoride the longest opportunity to work. Once you’ve brushed, don’t rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash -- you’re washing away the fluoride! This can be a difficult habit to break, but can reduce tooth decay by up to 25 percent.”
In a 2016 research published on dentalhealth.org by the Oral Health Foundation, many of us could be putting our oral health at risk by making the mistake of rinsing after we brush our teeth.
The CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter said: “Rinsing our mouth with water is very bad for our teeth as it washes away the protective fluoride left behind by brushing.
He emphasized that fluoride is the single-most important ingredient in toothpaste. It greatly helps oral health by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay and also reduces the amount of acid that the bacteria on the teeth produce.
“By spitting toothpaste out then not rinsing with water, it ensures that the fluoride found in the majority of toothpastes will remain on the teeth and continue to be effective.”
“It may also be surprising to some but using mouthwash directly after brushing is also bad for our teeth as it also rinses away fluoride,” added Dr Carter.
“If you do like to use mouthwash, try to use it at a separate time to brushing to ensure that you get the full benefit of the fluoride in your toothpaste.”
In a 2020 review by Dr. Gemma Wheeler in Electricteeth.com, she said toothpaste is most effective if left on the teeth and not rinsed.
In 2019, a dentist, Dr Chhaya Chauhan said the toothpaste has to have contact with the mouth for a long period of time for it to work and for the chemicals inside the toothpaste to actually have the benefits.
In her explanation, “When you rinse your mouth after using your toothpaste, you are actually removing the fluoride and you are actually removing all the goodness of the toothpaste away from your mouth. If you don’t rinse your mouth out and you just spit the excess toothpaste out and you leave the rest of the toothpaste in contact with your teeth, you will have greater benefits from using that toothpaste.”
She said, “After you have brushed your teeth, try and leave it at least half an hour before you have anything to eat or drink, that way, you’ve got the best chance of the toothpaste having a good effect on your teeth. Make sure you don’t use mouthwash immediately after brushing too. That is the only way of getting the health benefit of the paste.”
National Health Service in UK advises, “After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don’t rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it’ll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. This dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.
The NHS further states that using a mouthwash that contains fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but mouthwash (even a fluoride one) should not be used straight after brushing the teeth or it’ll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the toothpaste left on the teeth. Choose a different time to use mouthwash, such as after lunch, adding that individuals should not eat or drink for 30 minutes after using a fluoride mouthwash.