Same here—my ortho mentioned the “don’t rinse after brushing” thing too, and I’ll admit it took me a while to break the habit. I always figured rinsing was just cleaner, but apparently leaving the paste on your teeth longer really does help the fluoride do its job. Makes sense, but it’s definitely not what I grew up with either.
I also asked about using both paste and rinse, since I’ve got braces and food gets stuck everywhere. The answer was pretty much what you said: if you’re already using a fluoride toothpaste, extra rinse isn’t usually necessary unless your dentist recommends it for a specific reason (like high cavity risk). They did warn me about overdoing it with the rinses, especially for kids—those white spots are apparently more common than people realize.
One thing I’m still not sure about is those “alcohol-free” mouthwashes. Does anyone know if they’re as effective for cavity prevention, or are they mostly just for fresh breath? My ortho didn’t seem too fussed, but I wonder if it actually matters.
I totally get where you’re coming from—it felt weird at first not rinsing after brushing, but now it’s just part of my routine. As for alcohol-free mouthwashes, I asked my dentist about that too. From what I gathered, the alcohol isn’t what helps prevent cavities—it’s the fluoride. Alcohol-free options are usually just as effective if they have fluoride in them. They’re just a bit gentler, which is nice if your mouth gets irritated easily (mine definitely does with braces). I wouldn’t stress too much about it unless you’re using a mouthwash without fluoride, then it’s mostly just for fresh breath.
I used to rinse like crazy after brushing—felt like I was washing away all the toothpaste taste (and, let’s be honest, the guilt of eating too many cookies). Then my dentist told me to just spit and leave it. At first, it felt weird, like walking around with toothpaste still stuck to my teeth, but now I barely notice. I guess you get used to anything if it saves you a few bucks on fillings.
As for mouthwash, I’m all about the alcohol-free stuff too. The burn from the regular kind made me feel like I was prepping for a chili-eating contest, not brushing my teeth. I did try using mouthwash before brushing once, but honestly, it just made my mouth feel minty for no reason—plus, the dentist said fluoride from the toothpaste is what really matters. Now I brush, spit (no rinse), and if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll swish with a fluoride rinse before bed. Feels like a good compromise, and my wallet hasn’t had to fund any new cavities lately.
My kid’s dentist gave the same advice—just spit, don’t rinse. At first, my son looked at me like I’d lost it when I told him to leave the toothpaste foam on his teeth. But after a few weeks, he stopped complaining about the weird taste and now it’s just routine. We do use a fluoride rinse before bed sometimes, especially after “treat days” (which seem to happen more than I’d like). Haven’t had any new cavities since we started this routine, so maybe there’s something to it. I still miss that super fresh feeling from rinsing, though...
I still miss that super fresh feeling from rinsing, though...
I get that—rinsing always felt like the “clean finish” to me too, but leaving the paste on really does make a difference with fluoride. My hygienist explained it’s like giving your teeth extra armor overnight. I’ve been skipping the rinse for a few years now and my checkups have been better than they were in my 40s. Still, every now and then I cave and do a quick swish just for that minty kick... old habits die hard.
