I just discovered that, when brushing the kids’ teeth, my husband does not rinse out the toothbrush and then brush the teeth again with the rinsed out brush so as to fully clean the toothpaste off the kids’ teeth. Â Now I am extremely kind of hyper-sensitive about anything relating to toothpaste and how utterly revolting it is so I was TOTALLY APPALLED AND SHOCKED BECAUSE TOOTHPASTE LEFT ON THEIR TEETH = OMG EWWWWW!!!! a little concerned about this turn of events. I know that if people swallow toothpaste it can cause discolouration in their teeth and it seems to me that while it may be good for cleaning teeth, it should still be cleaned OFF the teeth at the end of one’s brushing routine.
My husband thinks I’m way overreacting.
So I’m turning it over to you, people. Do you typically brush with the toothpaste and then brush with the rinsed-out brush to clean the toothpaste out of your mouth? Or am I too sensitive?
March 11th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
LOL! I remember sleepovers when you and I were kids and even then you were ocd about proper tooth brushing technique. Do you recall being grossed out when I didn’t wet my brush before brushing? Ha ha!
Anyway, I would have to agree that proper rinsing is very important (plus it just feels gross to leave t.p. residue in the mouth)…
http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/news/children-s-toothpaste-can-be-harmful
March 11th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I think you’re completely overreacting. That being said you must understand that I answer this question not only as a bestial male of the species, but also as a man who brushes his teeth but once a day, flosses only when things are stuck between my teeth and a fork is not in reach with which to pry it loose, and also as a man who has had but one cavity in his life. I do occasionally rinse with some tap water after brushing, but never in my life has it occurred to me to rebrush my teeth with just water after the real work is done.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
I’m a rinser, but not with the toothbrush; My oldest daughter, however, just likes to spit the toothpaste out and go to bed. Bleck.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Haha… you actually rebrush? Hilar!
I rinse and brush my tongue, but my kids don’t even spit when they brush. It’s flouride-free toothpaste, so don’t have a coronary. Actually, I’m pretty sure that it’s the same stuff as the bubblegum-in-a-tube we used to get as kids. It probably causes more cavities than it prevents. Oh, training toothpaste.
In fact, I’ve caught my kids sharing long sips straight from the tube, so the wife has to hide their toothpaste. I can’t wait until they try to eat my spearmint or the wife’s fennel stuff. Bleeech!
March 12th, 2009 at 12:14 am
I always rise out my brush and then brush my teeth again to get all the toothpaste off my teeth. I don’t like to have that taste left in my mouth. :p Bleh.
March 12th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Ditto to what Julia said.
March 12th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Well, now if your children develop spots on their permanent teeth, you can solely blame your husband!
I am totally paranoid about too much fluoride, so that’s why we get the fluoride-free stuff; that being said, I still swish with water after brushing!
If you drink tap water, your teeth get plenty of fluoride.
P.S. My toothbrush must be moistened with WARM water; is that paranoid?
March 12th, 2009 at 2:34 am
In the interest of full disclosure I am a strange hybrid of OCD about dental care and yet at the same time not at all grossed out by using my husband’s toothbrush (well, my 1st husband anyway, who also didn’t mind; when D realized I had used his he FLIPPED SO HARD I THINK HE PULLED SOMETHING).
That said, I don’t rebrush with a rinsed toothbrush but I use one of those ‘color the plaque’ rinses first, then brush, then use a whitening rinse and..then brush again..and then rinse with water. See OCD, a bit.
For the kids though, I consider it a victory if everyone gets their teeth brushed at least once a day (and man, if you knew the mess that was their mouths in my sister’s care…ugh) and so long as they rinse at least with water when they’re done, it’s all good.
Also, we got a great package in the mail today and just to let your readers know, you are an incredibly kind and generous person. You guys, she sent my family a movie, candy, cards and POPCORN!! So, so touched. Thank you and a proper follow up email and thank you note are on the way.
March 12th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I am completely with you Shannon! I am a strong rinse with the toothbrush kind of girl! I even have Libby trained now too!
March 12th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
But, do they rinse their mouth out with water? Or they just don’t rinse at all? Because if they aren’t rinsing at all, that’s just wrong. But, if they swish water around in there and spit, then its all good. That was how I did it as a kid and how my kids do it. I use the toothbrush now though.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
WARM WATER….that’s so funny!
My wife and I have had a major discussion about this one. She insists on using warm water to brush her teeth, but cold to wash her hands/teeth?!!? WTF???
I use cold water for my tooth brush, and after sufficient scrubbing, I not only rinse my tooth brush, but I load it with as much water as possible to then conduct a series of re-brush-slash-rinsing manuevres. The end state will leave me with a clean and tooth paste free mouth.
fun times.