# Oral question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 27, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036 "2001-09-27T01:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/21 "2001-09-27T11:46:15Z")
I’ve noticed there are a lot of you who wet the brush first, then apply the toothpaste. I’ve always applied the toothpaste first, then wet it on the brush. I think, though, that the real question is: How do you rinse? Use a cup, or drink from the faucet? Me, I cup my hand under the faucet and scoop up some water to rinse. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/22 "2001-09-27T12:14:22Z")
Wet, apply, wet, brush. /Coil ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/23 "2001-09-27T12:29:20Z")
yes, cold water only ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/24 "2001-09-27T13:08:47Z")
Another vote for wet, apply, wet, brush. I then rehearse telling off my boss with flecks of foam coming out of my mouth - the image that I’m rabid gives me more courage - but as soon as I spit it out, I’m meek as a lamb again. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/25 "2001-09-27T13:13:57Z")
Apply, wet, brush. but… Then I floss after spitting out most of the foam and before rinsing. It makes me think I’m getting the benefits of the leftover suds in my mouth being dragged 'tween my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/26 "2001-09-27T13:22:32Z")
Yeah it feels all icky in my mouth if I don’t. And who wants an icky mouth? ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/27 "2001-09-27T13:34:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lunatic13 \* > \*\*I dunno. Maybe I’m weird… \*\* I sure hope not, because that’s what I do too. I remember a sketch on the old Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where Ed set up the segment by asking this same question. If I remember right, after Ed asked Johnny what he did he turned around and referenced a study that asked other people what they did. It seemed to me it was a legit study he was talking about. Again, if I remember right, of all the combinations, people choose or did the ‘wet brush, apply toothpaste, and immediately brush’ method. I think that’s what Johnny picked too, but I’m not sure. I’d supply a link but I have no clue on where or how to find what he was talking about. Let me just say that I _hope_ you’re not weird **Lunatic** , because that’s what I do. - If that sentence isn’t the oddest thing I typed up yet, I don’t know what is- “You better not be strange, Mr. lunatic”. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/28 "2001-09-27T14:16:41Z")
No, I do not “wet the brush”. I brush my teeth quickly whilst I am supposed to be working so I don’t have the blessing of water. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/29 "2001-09-27T15:07:37Z")
I apply the paste, wet brush, then brush. But what’s with spitting periodically while brushing? Doesn’t that just result in all the toothpaste going down the drain, leaving only spit?? How do we know the tooth brush was invented in West Va? If it was invented anywhere else, it would be called a _teeth_ brush. ---
**Author:** ![Kittie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Kittie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kittie)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/30 "2001-09-27T16:24:41Z")
Wet the brush, put on the tooth paste, wet the brush again, brush ---
**Author:** ![ninja\_rydr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8491ac/32.png) [@ninja\_rydr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninja_rydr)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/31 "2001-09-27T16:36:09Z")
Wet brush, apply paste, brush. I had a friend that used warm water to brush, is it me or is that weird? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/32 "2001-09-27T16:52:31Z")
You all are weird. Grab toothbrush. Lady Chance’s toothbrush? No? Then continue. Dogs toothbrush? IMPORTANT!!! No? Then continue. Apply toothpaste. Wet toothbrush+paste assembly. Brush. Spit. Rinse toorhbrush. Replace toothbrush. How much simpler could it be? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/33 "2001-09-27T18:05:51Z")
Apply, brush. Why would I wet my toothbrush? My mouth is wet, the toothpaste is more or less liquidish, why the extra water? ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/34 "2001-09-27T18:29:05Z")
Definitely in the “wet, paste, brush” camp. I don’t rinse, though. I thought rinsing removed the flouride and such from your mouth. If anything, I will rinse _before_ I brush my teeth to help make everything slippery. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/35 "2001-09-27T18:38:31Z")
I never even considered wetting the toothpaste… Put paste on brush, brush, rinse out paste with mouthwash, rinse out mouth wash with water, scrub dribblings out of beard. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/36 "2001-09-27T21:19:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by porcupine \* > > \*\*Wet toothbrush, apply toothpaste, brush. \*\* > > Just like **porcupine** > > Haj \*\* Same here… Hubby wets the toothpaste, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/37 "2001-09-27T21:41:44Z")
My method: Apply paste. Wet. Brush as completely as possible without spitting. (I have a pretty strong gag reflex so sometimes it doesn’t work out this way.) Spit. Brush tounge. Spit again. Rinse brush. (This part’s gross.) Suck water from wet but clean brush into mouth. Repeat twice. Swish clean water in mouth. Spit. Repeat last steps again as needed. –Cliffy P.S. I’m absent-minded enough that I’ve done it without wetting the paste first. It feels wrong to me, like the paste wetted only by saliva is too thick and therefore doesn’t coat my teeth well enough. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/38 "2001-09-27T23:12:29Z")
There are 3 basic formula’s one could use: [ol] [li]Wet Brush, Apply Toothpaste, Wet Toothpaste & Brush, Brush[/li][li]Apply Toothpaste, Wet Toothpaste & Brush, Brush[/li][li]Wet Brush, Apply Toothpaste, Brush[/li][/ol] Two methods are simply wrong, the other is the only acceptable way for a moderately intelligent person to brush. The justification is this. Methods 1 & 2 present the unpleasant possibility that the ever so elusive toothpaste might get knocked off the brush and into the sink, where it is truly annoying to try and clean. By relying on the surface tension of the water clinging to the bristles, and not subjecting the delicate balance of the toothpaste on said bristles, one is able to reliably brush without the messy cleaving of toothpaste into the unsuspecting sink. Ergo, method number the is the _correct_ method. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/39 "2001-09-27T23:16:09Z")
Of course I mean: Ergo, method number **3** is the _correct_ method. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036/40 "2001-09-28T15:36:45Z")
I lean toward Number 2 on the **Omniscient** scale. As do all right-thinking, right-meaning, right-handed people… Gp [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-question/84036.md?page=3)