It’s a new year! If you already have some health resolutions, grab your pen, you’ll want to add these to the list. We’ve asked some doctors for their insight on what you should NOT do in 2023.
Dentists visits often come with reminders for the oral hygiene to-dos you know you should, but maybe don’t, always perform. Who among us hasn’t gotten the dreaded nudge to floss more?
But in 2023, we are flipping the script. Instead of rehashing the same old dental dos you’ve heard for years, we asked pediatric dentist Taylor McFarland to share five things she wouldn’t do.
1. Never ditch fluoride toothpaste.
Most toothpastes contain fluoride, a mineral that is found in most water and promotes tooth health. But lately, non-flouride toothpastes have been growing in popularity. While there are recommended limits on how much fluoride toothpaste children of different age groups should use, McFarland McFarland says it’s “very much safe, especially topically.”
The fluoride in toothpaste plays an important role in keeping teeth healthy by strengthening enamel, the outer coating of teeth, which creates a barrier against cavity-causing bacteria, acidic foods and drinks, and bile or acid reflux. “Fluoride is a great defense,” McFarland says. “There’s just nothing else that works quite the same way.”
The World Health Organization included fluoride in dental products in its 2021 Model List of Essential Medicines, while the American Dental Association (ADA) only awards its seal of approval to toothpastes with fluoride.
2. Never brush immediately before or after eating.
If you’re the type who reaches for your toothbrush to freshen up right after a meal, not so fast! McFarland says you want to wait 20 to 30 minutes to avoid wearing out your enamel.
“When we eat, even if it’s not something acidic, the pH in our mouth drops so it becomes more acidic,” McFarland explains. “Then your enamel is a little bit weaker because it’s acidic, so you don’t want to go in with an abrasive toothbrush.”
Looking to freshen up your breath in a pinch? McFarland is a fan of sugar-free chewing gum.
3. Never rinse with water after brushing.
It might seem like rinsing your mouth with water after brushing your teeth is best practice, right? After all, isn’t that what they do in movies and toothpaste commercials?
McFarland says that aside from spitting out the excess suds or rinsing with fluoride mouthwash, you shouldn’t swish with water after brushing. This is because the fluoride in your toothpaste continues working after you put your toothbrush away and move on with your day. If this is new information for you, you aren’t alone! In fact, a poll from the Oral Health Foundation found that 62 percent of people rinse with water after brushing.
In addition to not rinsing with water, McFarland also advises waiting 20 to 30 minutes after brushing before eating or drinking to allow the fluoride in toothpaste time to do its thing.
4. Never skip brushing at night.
The ADA recommends brushing for two minutes twice a day. But when McFarland was asked to pick just one dental habit she would never skip, her response was brushing her teeth before bed.
“People struggle sometimes with oral health. Life is crazy, right?” says McFarland. “In my worst times, when I was a new mom, sometimes I would only brush my teeth in the shower at night.”
Brushing in the morning and at night have two different purposes. Brushing in the morning removes any bacteria or plaque that builds up overnight, while brushing in the evening provides teeth with a protective coat of fluoride that will fend off cavity-causing bacteria overnight.
5. Never get whitening advice on TikTok
Who doesn’t love a life hack? Unfortunately, when it comes to teeth whitening or oral health in general, McFarland notes that it is best to stick with tried and true methods to avoid causing irreversible damage to your smile.
That means that you shouldn’t duplicate any viral videos you’ve seen using lemon juice to bleach your teeth or scrubbing them down with a melamine foam (like a Magic Eraser).
“I wouldn’t do anything that any teenager or random non-dental professional was showing me on TikTok,” McFarland says.
If you are seeking a way to brighten up your smile, McFarland recommends an in-office or at-home whitening kit instead.
All in all, McFarland encourages patients to do the best they can to take care of their oral health in 2023. “I [like to meet] people where they are,” she says.