Health - Wellness
Stop Rinsing Your Mouth After Brushing Your Teeth. Here's Why
By MICHELLE WASHMUTH
You've probably swished water around in your mouth after brushing your teeth — or even at the dentist's office at a teeth cleaning. While may you think you're giving your mouth a final cleansing rinse, experts say you may actually be doing more harm than good.
By rinsing your mouth after brushing your teeth, you're actually getting rid of some of the good stuff from toothpaste, like fluoride. Fluoride is the most important toothpaste ingredient, as it helps prevent tooth decay, strengthens your enamel, and reduces the amount of acid your teeth produce thanks to bacteria.
It's not just rinsing with water that is a no-no, either. You should also avoid using mouthwash directly after brushing, as it could also wash away all of those fluoride benefits. Mouthwash should be used at a different time than teeth-brushing to maximize the perks of both.
The best thing to do after brushing your teeth is to spit without a rinse, as it will get rid of the excess toothpaste, while allowing the fluoride to get to work on your pearly whites. You should also avoid drinking anything other than water after brushing your teeth at night so the fluoride can continue working while you're sleeping.