Rinsing the mouth after brushing is a common routine for most people, however, research has shown that it is bad for oral health.
This may sound strange but experts say you should spit not rinse your mouth after brushing and here is why.
Rinsing your mouth with water is very bad for your teeth as it washes away the protective fluoride left behind by brushing says the Oral Health Foundation.
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. It also reduces the amount of acid that the bacteria on your teeth produce.
By spitting the toothpaste out, instead of rinsing with water ensures that the fluoride found in the majority of toothpaste will remain on the teeth and continue to be effective.”
The research also found that less than while around a quarter (23%) of us correctly spit without rinsing, one in seven (14%) prefer to rinse our mouth out with mouthwash.
Also using mouthwash immediately after brushing is also bad for your teeth as it also rinses away fluoride.
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.
Wait at least half an hour after brushing your teeth to drink water or consume beverages.
As helpful as toothpaste is, it shouldn’t be swallowed in a concentrated form. According to the Oral Health Foundation and The Fluoride Action Network, swallowing toothpaste can lead to dental fluorosis.
