Why you might’ve been brushing your teeth AND using mouthwash completely wrong

We all know we should brush our teeth twice a day, floss and use mouthwash.

But all that effort could be going to waste, with dentists warning many of us are brushing our pearly whites incorrectly.

Experts actually say we should not rinse our mouth with water immediately after brushing because it puts us on a one-track path for cavities. 

Even rinsing with mouthwash straightaway could increase your chances of decay, according to the little-known advice. 

That’s because rinsing your mouth will ‘wash away’ the concentrated fluoride in toothpaste, meaning it won’t work to its full effect, says Dr Shyaam Vallabh, principal dentist at Smmmile in Nottingham. 

Dentists warn against rinsing your mouth with water straight after brushing as it could increase your risk of cavities

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water and its found in varying amounts across the UK. Toothpaste that contains fluoride is one of the best ways to strengthen your enamel and reduce the risk of cavities

We should all be brushing our teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for about two minutes a time, the NHS says.

Regular brushing like this helps prevent gum disease and tooth decay by removing any build-up of plaque, a film of bacteria which coats your teeth if you don’t brush them properly. 

Dental decay is a big problem in the UK. About a third of adults (33 per cent) have tooth decay and three quarters have had a tooth extracted, according to the Oral Health Foundation.

Tooth decay is the destruction of the tooth caused by acids made by bacteria in dental plaque. Every time you have a sugary drink or food, it causes the bacteria in plaque to produce acid that attacks teeth. 

But brushing twice a day might not be enough if you swill water around your mouth after brushing.

‘Rinsing your mouth straight after brushing your teeth will wash away the concentrated fluoride before it has had a chance to work to its full effect,’ Dr Vallabh told MailOnline. 

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral and is found in varying amounts in water supplies across the UK.

It helps strengthen the hard outer protective layer of teeth, called the enamel, which in turn protects teeth from damage and wear and tear. 

Toothpaste containing fluoride is one of the best ways to strengthen your enamel and reduce the risk of cavities, making it important to leave this on your teeth for as long as possible, Dr Vallabh warns. 

The NHS also urges people to only spit out excess toothpaste and not rinse as this will reduce fluoride’s preventative effects.

But if you are eager to rinse the toothpaste away, you should wait at least 30 minutes, Dr Vallabh says.

‘If you’re still keen to rinse, I’d suggest waiting at least 30 minutes before rinsing with water or consuming any food or drink,’ he says. 

‘This allows the fluoride to be absorbed by the teeth and provide better protection.’

Although washing the toothpaste out of your mouth won’t directly cause cavities, repeatedly rinsing your mouth with water after brushing could increase your risk of cavities over time, he warns. 

But even using a mouthwash to freshen your breath after brushing your teeth can reduce the enamel strengthening effects of fluoride. 

‘Mouthwashes are generally used to freshen the breath, and many of them don’t actually have oral health benefits,’ Dr Vallabh says.

‘There’s a general consensus that using mouthwash after brushing is more effective.

‘But at Smmmile, we recommend using mouthwash at a different time of day to avoid washing away the fluoride from your teeth.’

Even using a mouthwash that contains fluoride straight after brushing can wash away the concentrated fluoride left on your teeth, the NHS says

Even using a mouthwash that contains fluoride straight after brushing can wash away the concentrated fluoride left on your teeth, the NHS says.

Instead, dentists urge people to use mouthwash at a different time of day, such as after lunch. 

However, dentists may recommend using a fluoride mouthwash if you are prone to gum disease or decay, says Dr Nigel Carter at the Oral Health Foundation.

‘If you have been diagnosed with gum disease, your dentist or hygienist may advise you to use a mouthwash with an antibacterial or essential oils to help reduce the levels of harmful plaque bacteria,’ he says.

‘A fluoride mouthwash can be useful to add extra strength and protection for the enamel against dental decay and erosion. A dentist may also prescribe a higher level of fluoride toothpaste if you are at more risk of decay, or you have gum recession.’