Brushing your teeth

[blissblogger]

Got a new dentist recently and the hygienist told me something that surprised me - you are not supposed to rinse out after brushing, instead you should spit but not use water, because the fluoride needs to "sit" on the teeth for a bit in order for it to adhere and do its job of protecting and remineralizing.

Having been a vigorous and thorough rinser all my life, this revelation pissed me off I must say - all that wasted toothpaste! Time and water too!

Surely this instruction should be emblazoned in large letters on every tube of toothpaste?

Oddly, about a week after learning this, someone on Facebook posted about it as a recent discovery they'd made, and some of his commenters shared similar stories. Which made me wonder if some kind of memo has gone around the dental profession ("new thinking on rinsing"), or a paper had been published in a dentistry journal....

This by the way is a thread for all things to do with dental health, oral hygiene, odd ailments of the mouth, and tooth-related catastrophes.



A song to be NOT heeded, says dentists

 

[william kent]

Yeah, you're supposed to floss first, brush your teeth for around two minutes hitting each surface and the gumline then leave the fluoride on your teeth.

They say you should use mouthwash at a different time to brushing your teeth too as it will just wash off the stronger fluoride in the toothpaste if you use it afterward.

Another thing's waiting 30+ minutes to brush your teeth after having anything acidic as it softens your enamel.

 

[Leo]

Never thought about it but makes sense, why didn't we know this years ago? And yeah @version, I also read you're supposed to floss before you brush, another thing we should have been told.

I vaguely recall @luka mentioning that flossing doesn't actually do any good, which seems counterintuitive but I think is backed up by research.

 

[Leo]

Also, an electric toothbrush is far more efficient than any manual brushing. I didn't think it would be a big deal but it's much more comprehensive, your mouth feels so much cleaner with electric.

 

[william kent]

Also, an electric toothbrush is far more efficient than any manual brushing. I didn't think it would be a big deal but it's much more comprehensive, your mouth feels so much cleaner with electric.

Also easier to avoid scrubbing your gums and pushing them back since the brush does all the work and just rotates.

 

[Leo]

A very rock'n roll discussion.

 

[william kent]

Never thought about it but makes sense, why didn't we know this years ago? And yeah @version, I also read you're supposed to floss before you brush, another thing we should have been told.

I vaguely recall @luka mentioning that flossing doesn't actually do any good, which seems counterintuitive but I think is backed up by research.

Apparently it's because it's better to get everything out from between your teeth and down your gums before you brush as otherwise you'll clean your teeth then dislodge a bunch of crap afterward.

I have heard some people say flossing is pointless, but I think anyone who regularly flosses will know that if you go without doing it a few days then there's clearly stuff stuck there that hasn't been brushed away.

You can knacker your gums by overflossing or being too rough though.

 

[Murphy]

 

[Leo]

 

[Version]

Jandek - You Painted Your Teeth

sorry! how could I resist, one of the best song titles ever ( never mind that the actual content breaks all the rules of what we might consider acceptable in terms of rhythm, melody, and harmony... )

 

[william kent]

 

[craner]

I started a thread about this topic once. You just can't get the same quality of archivists these days.

 

[Clinamenic]

Wait when did craner change his avatar!?

 

[woops]

today at 3:47pm

 

[luka]

version has ocd. brush twice a week and youll be fine. i stil have baby teeth (2_)

 

[shakahislop]

never done this, any good?

 

[luka]

try it. ive only gone dentist once in the last 25 years. if you cant be fucked brushing in the evening dont bother. hit it in the morning

 

[shakahislop]

do i need any special gear or will any brush do?

 

[william kent]

Apparently genetics play a part. Some people just have thicker enamel and tougher gums and can get away with doing fuck all and some people can be as clean as they like and still get gum recession, cavities etc.

 

[HMGovt’s Glorious Return!]

I only use nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste now, ask me anything. I like that it reduces the risk of fluoride calcifying your pineal gland, which may cause your soul to wither, and the connection to the godhead to become brittle and frangible. It also remineralizes your enamel more effectively than fluoride. I've been using Apagard from Japan this year and all sensitivity, including to the suffering of others, has completely gone.