As we’ve briefly explored in our previous blog, Fluoride Myths Part 1: Drinking Water, the integration of trace amounts of fluoride can have tremendous benefits for overall dental health. T fluoridation of our drinking water supplies has had a dramatic impact on our dental health, it is not the only myth abound regarding fluoride. Another major fluoride myth is centered around rinsing after brushing. Dr. David B. Duke of Bitterroot Dental, Missoula’s Top Rated Local® dentistry, advises patients on this myth regularly:
Myth 2: After brushing, thoroughly rinsing / not rinsing is healthy!
There is a lot of misinformation out there about oral health. Whether this be from marketing designed to sell the next “great” product, secondhand sources, or just general misunderstandings of what it takes to brush properly, we see a lot of Missoula dental patients that are very concerned on this issue. We commonly hear concerns regarding whether patients are rinsing too much or not enough, amid a myriad of over highly specific questions.
Busted (sort of)
Evidence has shown that the most important thing about brushing is, well, brushing. It is crucial that everyone brush twice a day using fluoride toothpaste and proper brushing technique. Now, if you have mastered all of these things, it is considered optimal to rinse very little after brushing. What does this actually mean? Well, swallowing a mouthful of foam is not suggested, but thoroughly rinsing out your mouth actually diminishes the benefits of your fluoride toothpaste.
Our suggestion
Again, we can’t stress highly enough that the most important thing is brushing at all. But if you are still looking for the proper rinsing technique, then we suggest incorporating a small amount of water (about a teaspoon) in place of thorough rinsing after spitting out excess foam. Using the film that this will create: First scrub clean the tongue, then briefly brush your teeth (about one minute), then spit out the sudsy, diluted film. What you will be left with is a light layer of fluoride for your teeth to absorb, and the watered-down mixture actually can help to have fluoride gain access to those hard-to-brush crevices.
Missoula’s dentist of choice
Above all else, visit your local dentist and properly brush twice a day. Remember, the trace amount of fluoride left in with a slight film on your teeth is a mere fraction of a dangerous dosage. It has been shown time and time again that small amounts of fluoride are essential for oral health, in the same way that regular visits to your family dentist are.
