Should you use water when brushing teeth

Dental Tips

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Is It Better To Brush With Warm Or Cool Water?
Why it's important to skip rinsing with water after brushing your teeth
What if you've been rinsing all your life?
Your specific dental health also plays a role
Is it OK to use mouthwash to rinse your teeth after brushing?
More teeth brushing tips
Is it better to brush teeth without water?
Should you wet your toothbrush before brushing?

10 / Mar / 2016October 19, 2021

Is It Better To Brush With Warm Or Cool Water?

Everyone brushes their teeth as part of a normal oral care routine. However, people tend to use cool tap water on their brushes. Since hot water is associated with deep cleaning, it is important to examine whether it is better for dental health to use hot or cold water during this task.

According to dental experts, most people brush with cold water out of habit. Many individuals feel the coolness is refreshing, but there are no benefits that come from using it for oral hygiene purposes. It is a common belief that warm water loosens dirt and gets things cleaner. For instance, you may use warm water to remove grease from dishes and stains from clothing. However, this does not apply to your teeth. To see major effects, you would need to use boiling water, which is too hot to keep in your mouth. Since toothpaste contains cleansers, the water used does not matter.

According to the American Dental Association, brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is the key to solid oral health. Since your mouth contains many kinds of bacteria, it takes more than water to eliminate the cavity causing agents. Fluoride remineralizes teeth and removes plaque and bacteria film.

Water is not an important part of the tooth brushing process. Using too much can counteract the good deed. Large amounts of water dilute toothpaste and rinse it away. To be useful, fluoride must remain on your teeth so that bacteria cannot turn into damaging acids.

One reason you may wish to consider using warmer water is to keep your sensitive teeth from hurting. Cold water can cause pain, which may prevent you from brushing properly. However, the only thing that keeps teeth clean is the motion of the bristles.

When you brush your teeth, the temperature of the water is meaningless. The most important thing is using the correct technique. If you are unsure about the proper way to brush and floss, you should consult with your dental care provider.

At the dental office of Dr. Dana Walters, the entire staff is dedicated to providing top oral care to all patients. Everyone is always willing to pass along beneficial dental tips that keep mouths healthy and looking great. Schedule your next appointment with us today, we are happy to discuss this further with you.

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

You were likely taught from a young age to thoroughly rinse your teeth with water after brushing, but you should start skipping that step for good. I used to rinse after brushing my teeth -- and even went back over them with a wet toothbrush -- to remove any remnants of toothpaste left in my mouth. But then I found out from a dentist's TikTok video that it isn't the most effective method.

Instead, I now spit out as much toothpaste as I can without swishing with water so I can allow the toothpaste to do its job just a little longer. However, I wasn't sure why I was doing this -- or what the benefits were -- until I spoke with an expert.

I talked to Dr. Edmond Hewlett, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association and professor at UCLA School of Dentistry, to find out why you shouldn't rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. Here's the answer. For more tips, here's why you should floss before brushing your teeth.

Read more: Best Electric Toothbrush for 2022

Why it's important to skip rinsing with water after brushing your teeth

Fluoride is an important ingredient in toothpaste that helps make the enamel harder and more resistant to acids that cause cavities. Hewlett says it's the most well-established effective ingredient in toothpaste, so make sure yours has fluoride in it.

When you brush your teeth, you're cleaning any film and bacteria from food and sugary drinks. When you go a step further and skip rinsing, you're leaving the fluoride from the toothpaste in your mouth for a longer time, giving you a better effect from the fluoride.

Wait at least 15 minutes after brushing to drink water. After brushing your teeth, Hewlett explains, your saliva will clear the toothpaste out so you won't taste it all day.

What if you've been rinsing all your life?

If you're just finding out about this tip, you may be thinking you've been undoing all your hard work of brushing every day. But that's not true. Hewlett says as long as you brush the standard two times a day for two minutes each time, the fluoride will remain in your mouth to help protect your teeth.

You're still doing what you need to do to have good oral health to protect your teeth. The idea of not rinsing is just an extra step to help the fluoride be even more effective.

"When you measure a person's fluoride levels in saliva, if they don't rinse, there's more fluoride," Hewlett said. But it's not going to be a waste of your time if you do rinse. He said research is still being done to determine the difference it makes in the long term to prevent cavities.

Check that your toothpaste contains fluoride.

Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Your specific dental health also plays a role

There are different risk levels for getting cavities per person, Hewlett said.

"If you typically don't get cavities, then you should continue using fluoride toothpaste. The decision to rinse or not to rinse after brushing probably won't make a difference."

On the other hand, for those who struggle with cavities, not rinsing is probably a better decision. Additionally, you should get help from your dentist to find out why you're getting cavities regularly -- for instance, it could be your eating habits, snacking on sugary foods or not brushing your teeth regularly. If you're at higher risk for cavities, you should do everything you can to help prevent them.

Is it OK to use mouthwash to rinse your teeth after brushing?

It's OK as long as you use a mouthwash that also contains fluoride so you can still get the same effect. Otherwise, without fluoride, it's similar to rinsing with water.

More teeth brushing tips

Here are some additional tips for keeping your oral health up to par.

Always use a soft bristle toothbrush, and never medium or hard. Hewlett says anything but soft can increase the risk of gum recession.
It doesn't matter if you floss before or after you brush your teeth, as long as you floss once a day to remove plaque and stuck food.
You don't have to aggressively brush your teeth to get them clean. While scrubbing your dishes with extra force may make them extra clean, it's not necessary for your teeth and can also lead to gum recession.
Gently brush along the gum line with a soft bristle brush to help prevent gum disease.
Always consult with your dentist for personalized advice. They understand what your oral health profile looks like.

For more, here's the best time to brush your teeth in the morning.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Is it better to brush teeth without water?

Since toothpaste contains cleansers, the water used does not matter. According to the American Dental Association, brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is the key to solid oral health. Since your mouth contains many kinds of bacteria, it takes more than water to eliminate the cavity causing agents.

Should you wet your toothbrush before brushing?

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.