Any good dentist would tell you that oral health starts with brushing teeth. It’s a habit ingrained in us since early childhood, and as adults, the routine hasn’t changed much. Add a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and gently brush in soft circles for at least two minutes. It’s the two minutes after brushing that’s stirring up discussion on TikTok.
Many people rinse their mouths after brushing their teeth, but some TikTokers argue it’s healthier to only spit out the excess toothpaste. By not rinsing, they claim, you would allow the toothpaste’s ingredients to exert their effects for longer.
Though TikTok hasn’t always been the most reliable source for dental news—remember when people were giving DIY advice on how to file down teeth—this information is an exception, and something the dentists PopSci spoke to support.
First, let’s consider why we brush our teeth. Dr. Kacie Woodis, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, says that when we eat, so do the approximately 1,000 species of bacteria living in our mouths. These microbes have a strange way of thanking us for the meal. Some bacteria in the back of the tongue, for example, interact with amino acids from the food, producing sulfur-producing compounds that cause bad breath. Other bacterial species produce an acid that can break down minerals and dissolve a tooth’s surface, starting cavity formation.
[Related: The best cheap electric toothbrushes]
Fluoride, a mineral found in most toothpastes, builds resistance against acid attacks. It does so by aiding in a repair process called remineralization.
“Fluoride counteracts the demineralization process by partnering with calcium and phosphate to form fluorapatite,” explains Dr. Fatima Khan, a dentist and cofounder of Riven Oral Care in Texas. “Fluorapatite is a crystalline lattice that covers the enamel to remineralize it and restore its integrity.” The…
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