There aren't many clinical studies to compare the outcomes of using mouthwash right after brushing or waiting some time in between. However, to be on the safe side, you may want to wait around 20 minutes after brushing your teeth to use an oral rinse, especially if it contains alcohol or doesn't contain fluoride.
Unfortunately, when you rinse immediately after brushing, you're washing away a lot of the fluoride in toothpaste before it can strengthen your tooth enamel. To maximize the beneficial cavity-fighting effect of fluoride, spit out excess toothpaste but do not rinse your mouth.
How Long Should You Wait to Rinse After Brushing? If you want to be on the safe side, then you should wait at least twenty minutes before rinsing your mouth after brushing. This gives the fluoride more time to work, which means you have a better chance at cleaning them and preventing tooth decay.
Dentists say it's good to let the fluoridated toothpaste set in your teeth for a few minutes regardless if you do decide you want to rinse with water or not. While rinsing doesn't harm you, it prevents the toothpaste from working to its best ability.
You can use mouthwash prior to brushing to remove any food debris and plaque build-up in your mouth to set yourself up for a good cleaning. One important thing to note is that if you're using fluoride toothpaste, don't use mouthwash for at least 30 minutes after brushing!
Using a mouthwash that contains fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but don't use mouthwash (even a fluoride one) straight after brushing your teeth or it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the toothpaste left on your teeth. Choose a different time to use mouthwash, such as after lunch.
Mouthwash is generally meant to be swished around in the mouth for 30 to 60 seconds. Make sure you follow the directions on your specific bottle. Swishing for less than 30 seconds isn't usually enough time for the mouthwash to be effective while swishing for longer than a minute won't give you any additional benefits.
Rinsing your mouth can prematurely wash out the fluoride that is working on your teeth. By spitting out toothpaste then not rinsing it out with water, the fluoride in the toothpaste will remain in the mouth and continue to be effective.
Wetting before softens toothbrush bristles and rinses off debris. Wetting after ensures the toothpaste melts into your toothbrush so it doesn't roll off. Not wetting your toothbrush means there aren't extra steps between applying toothpaste and brushing.
Some ingredients in toothpastes are too harsh for many mouths, and can actually burn the outer tissue of the oral cavity. This burned, dead tissue then forms into the globs and film of white discharge you find in your mouth anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour after brushing.
If you do rinse your mouth, it is recommended that you rinse away with warm water especially if you are prone to sensitivity from cold water.
Brushing your teeth in the shower exposes your teeth to more bacteria than brushing at the sink. Because your bath is rarely dry, especially if you share a bathroom with roommates, it's a constant breeding ground for bacteria and germs. This makes it a less-than-ideal place to brush your teeth.
The American Dental Association recommends that you store toothbrushes so they can air-dry in upright position, and so they don't touch each other. Rinse the brush carefully after each use and dry off the handle with a paper towel to reduce the amount of moisture on the brush.
With that said, it's best not to keep your toothbrush really close to your toilet. That's not because it poses a serious threat to your health, but because it's honestly kind of gross. Keeping your toothbrush out in the open in your bathroom exposes it to a little something called toilet plume, Omai Garner, Ph.
While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.
Takeaway. When you're looking to protect your tooth enamel, brushing right after you wake up in the morning is better than brushing your teeth after breakfast. If you have to brush your teeth after breakfast, try to wait 30 to 60 minutes before you brush.
Don't eat or drink anything except water after brushing at night. This also gives fluoride the longest opportunity to work. Once you've brushed, don't rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash – you're washing away the fluoride! This can be a difficult habit to break, but can reduce tooth decay by up to 25%.
Short answer: It doesn't matter. However, if you are using a fluoride toothpaste, wait at least 30 minutes before you rinse (yes, even a fluoride one) as it'll wash away the fluoride from the toothpaste before it can do its job. If you do use a fluoride mouthwash, wait 30 minutes before you eat or drink.
In general, people should use mouthwash two times per day: once in the morning and once in the evening after cleaning the teeth. However, if someone does not carry a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss around to clean teeth after each meal, rinsing with mouthwash is certainly better than doing nothing.
Use a mouth rinse before bed
For an added boost to oral health, consider using a mouthwash or rinse before bed. A rinse will help to remove bacteria from your mouth and can effectively help prevent cavities.
Most people brush, floss and then use mouthwash. And some just brush, skipping the other two steps. As it turns out, it's actually more effective to floss, use mouthwash, then brush, according to dentists — and they don't recommend skipping any steps.
The American Dental Association recommends you brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. People sometimes brush after every meal, or brush midday to freshen up. Although this is not always a bad thing, when you start brushing too much or for too long, you can ultimately damage your teeth.
You can let your toothbrush sit in the open air for 30 minutes, then check that the bristles are dry before you put it away. You can use a clean paper towel to quickly dry a toothbrush before storing it in an airtight container, if you want.
Where to Store Your Toothbrush. Probably the best place to store your toothbrush is on a shelf in your bedroom, or, if you store it in the bathroom, in a far corner, safely away from the toilet and the sink. You might also store it in a large closet where it is cool and dry.