Brushing Teeth

Question

I’ve heard that after brushing, you’re not supposed to rinse with water. If American water has fluoride, why would this be a bad thing? I always thought toothpaste was supposed to be rinsed like soap. Plus, it’s toxic if swallowed. Why is rinsing after brushing bad?

In: 2

Answer 1

I’m guessing anyone who’s told you that was worried about water quality.

In the US our public water is treated with a tiny bit of chlorine (typically but places may be phasing this out) to kill microbes, and fluoride to promote healthy dental hygiene, plus other minerals for taste and fortification.

So you don’t really have an issue in the YS as long as your water has been treated properly. But there are places around the US where water treatment hasn’t always been good/consistent. I’m guessing the issue would be if the water wasn’t treated well against microbes and would normally need to be boiled before using, but then I wouldn’t suggest using it to brush your teeth at all without boiling it first.

Answer 2

I’m guessing anyone who’s told you that was worried about water quality.

In the US our public water is treated with a tiny bit of chlorine (typically but places may be phasing this out) to kill microbes, and fluoride to promote healthy dental hygiene, plus other minerals for taste and fortification.

So you don’t really have an issue in the YS as long as your water has been treated properly. But there are places around the US where water treatment hasn’t always been good/consistent. I’m guessing the issue would be if the water wasn’t treated well against microbes and would normally need to be boiled before using, but then I wouldn’t suggest using it to brush your teeth at all without boiling it first.