I’ve read that too much fluoride isn’t great either (something about white spots on teeth?), but I don’t really know where the line is.
Honestly, I get anxious about this too. My dentist once told me those white spots (fluorosis, I think?) are usually from swallowing a lot of fluoride as a kid, not so much from rinsing as an adult. I’m super cautious and just stick to one rinse a day, like you said. If my mouth feels weird or dry, I’ll skip a day and just do salt water. Haven’t noticed any issues since I started reading labels for alcohol and flavorings either. But yeah, it always feels like a bit of a gamble with these products...
I totally relate to that uneasy feeling—sometimes it feels like there’s no “perfect” amount, just a lot of guessing. My kid’s dentist warned us about fluorosis too, especially for little ones who might swallow toothpaste or rinse. We’re always double-checking how much toothpaste goes on the brush, and I’m probably over the top about making sure they spit everything out. It’s kind of exhausting worrying about every little thing, but I guess that’s just part of parenting.
I’ve also noticed my own mouth gets dry if I use certain rinses too often, so I’ll skip a day or switch to plain water. I try not to stress too much, but it’s hard when you hear so many different opinions. At the end of the day, I figure doing my best to follow what the dentist says and paying attention to how things feel is good enough. You’re definitely not alone in feeling like it’s a gamble sometimes.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I don’t stress too much about the whole fluoride thing. My dentist told me as long as I’m not chugging the rinse like it’s Gatorade, I’m good. I just use a small swish at night and call it a day. Maybe I’m too laid back, but constantly worrying about every detail would drive me nuts. My kids have survived my “eh, that’s probably enough” method so far... fingers crossed.
