For most adults, the act of brushing your teeth is so habitual that you scarcely recall doing it most days. You have been at it for so long that the tried-and-tested routine occurs unthinkingly each morning and evening. Brush, spit, and rinse.
But today, your Castle Hill cosmetic dentist is about to blow your mind, because one of these activities is not helping your teeth at all.
Ditch the Rinse Phase
That’s right – rinsing your teeth actually reduces the positive impact of your brushing efforts. By removing the fluoride-rich ‘paste’ that is left behind after you have physically brushed, you are reducing the ability of the fluoride to remineralise, and re-toughen, your enamel.
Now, we know what you are thinking. Who wants a gritty residue left over in their mouth? There are two things that we can do to aid this.
First, spit, and spit again. Use your saliva, and your tongue, to remove as much of the fluoride paste as you can, then spit it out. That slight grittiness will go away in a few minutes.
Secondly, your average user actually uses entirely too much toothpaste. The marketing image of a full blob of toothpaste spanning the length of the toothbrush is overkill – you actually need no more than a pea-sized blob to get the most out of your brushing. If you don’t overload your toothbrush, you will have far less of the stuff to spit out at the end. Plus, your toothpaste will last longer.
It might be a significant change to your tried-and-tested regime, but allowing the fluoride in your toothpaste the opportunity to do its job can make a big, big difference at the end of the day. You will soon notice less sensitivity, and along with proper flossing and regular checkups, you will likely see fewer issues with cavities or decay down the road.
For more information on how to care for your teeth, check out our other articles. And if you are in need of a cosmetic dentist in Castle Hill, Hills Dental Care is ready for you. Pay us a visit, or contact our team and book your appointment, today.
And of course, Happy New Year! All the best to you and yours this year.
