# Brushing Teeth and Rinsing **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144 "2019-11-28T21:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/21 "2019-11-29T19:57:36Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I have a bottle of prescription-only germ-killing stuff to rinse with. The label is very careful to say it is a mouth _rinse_ not a _mouthwash_. 😕 Instructions also specifically say to NOT rinse with water after using for 30 minutes, but also to NOT swallow any of the stuff. Yep, fluoride rinse, available OTC (probably at a lesser strength) as [ACT](http://www.actoralcare.com/) or several generics (Amazon even has their own). My routine is to use Listerine before brushing to loosen and “prep” the teeth, rinse thoroughly with water and then rinse with the fluoride stuff. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/22 "2019-11-29T22:05:27Z")
I am NOT going to not rinse after brushing. What, leave all that slobbery foam in my mouth? GAH. It makes me a little nauseated just to think of it. That gel fluoride treatment sounds fine, though. Smear some gel on your teeth and leave it there? I could do that. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/23 "2019-11-29T22:18:24Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I am NOT going to not rinse after brushing. What, leave all that slobbery foam in my mouth? GAH. It makes me a little nauseated just to think of it. I mean… you could just spit it out, right? Without rinsing? It’s never even occurred to me to rinse after brushing my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/24 "2019-11-30T00:38:02Z")
So one factor in this that has come to light after moving in w my SO is that some people have a massive, frothy brushing session and some people don’t froth up at all. When I brush, it froths like whipped cream. In fact, I have a nice electric brush that if I run it for the full timed cycle (it shuts off when you’re supposed to stop brushing), I can’t hold all the frothy toothpaste foam in my mouth because there’s too much. My SO on the other hand has no froth and doesn’t rinse. She barely has anything left to spit out. She also doesn’t wet her brush (or run water over the toothpaste) before brushing, which I think is a factor. I’ll also add that having a beard collects a lot of foam that needs to be rinsed. I thought she was psychotic for not rinsing and ran a poll amongst friends. Generally people rinsed, few didn’t, and the professional dental workers said some people do, some don’t and didn’t have much of a strong opinion on if you should or not (in a practical sense. As mentioned upthread they’ll sure tell you what ‘you SHOULD’ do, kind of in that preachy if-you-want-to-be-perfect way, but in a practical sense seemed to indicate it wasn’t a big deal). ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/25 "2019-11-30T06:28:40Z")
I use non minty toothpaste that doesn’t foam. I rinse. Sometimes I use a mouthwash (or maybe it’s called mouth rinse) after brushing and it always says on those not to rinse and wait 30 mins before drinking or eating. I always rinse with water eventually because I like tasting food. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/26 "2019-11-30T07:10:34Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I use non minty toothpaste that doesn’t foam. I rinse. Sometimes I use a mouthwash (or maybe it’s called mouth rinse) after brushing and it always says on those not to rinse and wait 30 mins before drinking or eating. I always rinse with water eventually because I like tasting food. You brush before you eat? ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/27 "2019-11-30T10:57:30Z")
I was also taught to rinse after brushing, but saw the advice not to rinse in a leaflet in my dentist’s waiting room. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/28 "2019-11-30T12:05:02Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > Generally people rinsed, few didn’t, and the professional dental workers said some people do, some don’t and didn’t have much of a strong opinion on if you should or not (in a practical sense. As mentioned upthread they’ll sure tell you what ‘you SHOULD’ do, kind of in that preachy if-you-want-to-be-perfect way, but in a practical sense seemed to indicate it wasn’t a big deal). Based on some other threads we’ve had on dental topics, I think that while the professionals will tell you the preferred/perfect way to do things they’re much more concerned that you _brush regularly_ than the exact perfection of your technique. If you only brush once a week it doesn’t matter much if you do it perfectly. If you brush 2-3 times a day then maybe it’s time to pretty up how you do it but hey, if you are at least brushing that often you’re doing better than some people. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/29 "2019-11-30T17:15:49Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Lots of links stating don’t rinse after brushing: [https://www.google.com/search?q=pronamel+don%27t+rinse&rlz=1C1MSIM\_enUS785US785&oq=pronamel+don%27t+rinse&aqs=chrome…69i57.6456j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?q=pronamel+don%27t+rinse&rlz=1C1MSIM_enUS785US785&oq=pronamel+don%27t+rinse&aqs=chrome..69i57.6456j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) Most talk about removing the fluoride from the toothpaste. > > Several years ago, my dentist prescribed Crest ProHealth, supposedly stronger than off the shelf and he said not to rinse. It was less foamy than regular toothpaste and tasted nasty. Crest ProHealth uses stannous fluoride instead of sodium fluoride. There are a number of toothpastes out there right now that use stannous fluoride–you have to read the label. It appears to have had a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. From what I’ve read, it used to be problematic because it stained your teeth, but supposedly it is better for various dental and gum conditions than sodium fluoride. They’ve fixed the staining part, so I assume that’s why we’re seeing more toothpastes with stannous fluoride in them. Anecdotally, I switched to stannous without telling my dentist and it seems to have improved my gum health enough for her to ask whether I changed my brushing/flossing routine. As for the taste, I didn’t notice it tasting any better or worse than any other toothpaste, but I’m not taste sensitive when it comes to things like toothpastes, oral rinses, and medicine. (Hell, I actually _like_ original flavor Listerine, not that wimpy mint stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/30 "2019-11-30T19:08:03Z")
On the advice of more than one dental hygienist, I use a Waterpik. Since I use it after brushing, it rinses my mouth. Any remaining toothpaste is removed by the mouthwash rinse I conclude my dental hygiene with. ---
**Author:** ![albino\_manatee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/albino_manatee/32/2_2.png) [@albino\_manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/albino_manatee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/31 "2019-12-01T13:27:43Z")
floss … brush … rinse … 'nuff said. _p.s. i’ve read/heard toothpaste can actually ‘eat’ into the tooth enamel … go figure._ ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/32 "2019-12-01T19:07:20Z")
If you want the fluoride to have any effect don’t rinse or drink anything for 30 minutes after you brush. Also mouthwash is better to be used before brushing to loosen up the bits. – Advice I got 30 years ago from my dentist. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144/33 "2019-12-01T20:20:09Z")
My hygienist explicitly told me to not use mouthwash after brushing, because—again—it’ll just wash away all that fluoride from the toothpaste. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-and-rinsing/844144.md?page=1)