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Dont rinse and spit?

  • 18-01-2011 7:40pm
    #1
    Ronin247
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭


    I recently read that when a child is brushing their teeth at night there is no need to rinse and spit as it is better to leave as much of the flouride in the mouth to prevent decay due to saliva overnight?

    Any truth or different opinions out there??


Comments

  • #2
    Big_G
    Moderators Posts: 1,589 ✭✭✭Big_G


    Ronin247 wrote: »
    I recently read that when a child is brushing their teeth at night there is no need to rinse and spit as it is better to leave as much of the flouride in the mouth to prevent decay due to saliva overnight?

    Any truth or different opinions out there??

    I would say yes for adults, not sure of the science of this concept for children. My personal opinion on this is that any technique that involves the possible ingestion of toothpaste in children should be avoided. They're getting enough fluoride from other sources in most cases.

    In short, the theory is sound, the practical application maybe not so much. Again, I'm not 100% sure of the scientific evidence on this one. Maybe one of the other dentists will chime in here with their thoughts on the subject.


  • #3
    Mingetoad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 120 ✭✭Mingetoad


    I suspect the op read this from a US or UK source, or somewhere non-fluoridated. There is more than enough fluoride in our water that no child should need to topically apply some every night; which is effectively what this is albeit at a very low dose.


  • #4
    Ronin247
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭Ronin247


    http://alancarlton.com.au/index_files/Page1010.htm

    OK admittedly it is Australian but there are a lot of other references to this around,I cannot remember where I first heard it.


  • #5
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,535 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    Children cannot rinse and spit properly untill they are 5-6. That why dentist reccomend low flouride kids toothpaste. It does no harm to not rinse and spit but in ireland where the water is optimally flouridated the benefit is nigligable at best. When I brush my childs teeth, I use kids paste with little flouride and put only a "scraping of butter on toast" on the brush. Also childhood decay is more linked to frequency of refined carbohydrates and without controll of this leave a pit of flouride in the mouth overnight will not help.


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