How to get DP to stop rinsing after brushing teeth?!

[NewYearNewUserNameForMe]

I know I have no jurisdiction over DP's face, mouth and oral hygiene habits

But DP rinses out his mouth a lot after brushing his teeth every time. Twice a day, copious amounts of water. A few years ago, the dentist told me and DP that rinsing wasn't good at all. I stopped. DP just carried on.

His teeth are going yellow and they've got weird brown lines on them. I've no idea if its connected to rinsing but surely rinsing isn't helping things?

I tell him occasionally he shouldn't rinse but he either bats my comment away because I'm not a dentist (fair play), tells me to stop policing him (dramatic but fair play), or comes up with some excuse as to why he has to rinse that particular time (bullshit because he does it every bloody time).

So I went for the kill. One day when he complained that his teeth were yellow I said it was because he rinses after brushing. He had a huff, carried on rinsing and said he didn't actually care about how he looks anyway.

I may be blowing it out of proportion but I really worry about this and what it'll mean for his dental health long term.

I've no idea why I'm posting this, it's playing on my mind.

And you're not supposed to brush straight after eating either.

Any dentists about?

No we dont have fluoride in our drinking water

I am always amazed about the things people work themselves up over. If dh was this worked up over my perfectly ordinary tooth brushing habits, I’d be concerned for his mental health. It’s really not normal to be invested to the point of constant nagging over mouth rinsing. Do it. Don’t do it. 🤷‍♀️
Are you this controlling over all aspects of his life?

I've heard you're not supposed to rinse too. I doubt that rinsing is causing the stains on his teeth though

But swallowing toothpaste is also bad for you, so I don’t really understand the new guidelines. Also don’t want to have strong toothpaste taste in my mouth!
YABU leave the poor man alone.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-keep-your-teeth-clean/

It's not a new guideline btw. We've been told it for years

@dementedpixie I agree. The only time I use mouth wash is after my midday meal if I eat at home. I never use it after brushing, I just spit.

I absolutely know its his mouth, his teeth, his choice. When I see him do it, every cell of my being is like Nooooooooooooooooo and wants to knock the glass away dramatically!

I don't. I mention it occasionally but I don't harp on. It's his choice. I've told him I won't puree his food for him when all his teeth fall out

You're being a twat.

He should see his dentist to check out what's going on with the Mark's on his teeth

I don't rinse. Husband does. Only time we have ever discussed it was when he started getting DD to rinse too, when teaching her to brush her teeth. DD (4!) then told him in no uncertain terms that the dentist had told her not to do that!

His teeth, he can do what he likes. I doubt this is the cause of staining on your husbands teeth though.

My dp leaves the tap running while brushing his teeth. And also he turns on the shower, and then flounces around the bedroom for about 10 minutes before going in (it heats up in seconds so there isn't any reason to do this). These things make me really annoyed.

Does he use corsodyl?

You're doing fantastically well if this is the point of contention you have with him!

It’s really not normal to be invested to the point of constant nagging over mouth rinsing. Are you this controlling over all aspects of his life?

If you read the OP, I clearly said that I mention it occasionally. It's not 'constant nagging'

I don't control any of his life

My dentist also says don’t rinse, because that washes off the fluoride. Does it help that NHS advice also explicitly says don’t rinse, and don’t use a mouthwash immediately after brushing either.

You could say that both the dentist and NHS advice is not to rinse (and why would you bother brushing your teeth in a less than optimal way - you might as well do half your mouth one day, and half the other, or brush for 30 secs not the recommended 2 mins), but then you’ve got to appreciate that it’s his teeth, he’s an adult, and let it go! it would piss me off too

Also, what?!

If you don't rinse, surely you're left with a mouthful of saliva mixed with toothpaste?

No, we spit all that out!

You really shouldn’t rinse!

All dentists are on the same page with this.

I stopped rinsing on my dentist’s advice and after six months my gum issues were absolutely gone.

Current advice is to spit not rinse. Fluoride in most adult toothpaste is approx. 1350ppm. Concentration in m/w is much lower and many mouthwashes don't have any so mw will rinse away higher concentration in toothpaste. Fluoride in drinking water will only strengthen developing enamel and is not in all water supplies anyway.

When I was growing up my mother made us rinse endlessly after brushing until every trace of the goodness within the flouride toothpaste was washed away In fact, I was about 40 years old before I discovered I shouldn't be doing this - but by then it was far too late and my teeth are all completely wrecked.

Caveat - I have no odd stains on them and they're not yellow just crumbly and soft and useless

You're doing fantastically well if this is the point of contention you have with him!

We are really happy together. I would genuinely say this is one of the biggest issues we have

Not rinsing means I have an awful taste of toothpaste in my mouth after brushing. Saliva alone doesn't get rid of that.

Your DH is an adult - if I ran around moaning about my other half's teeth-brushing habits we'd never get out of the house lol

But swallowing toothpaste is also bad for you, so I don’t really understand the new guidelines.

You spit, you don't swallow.

@NewYearNewUserNameForMe

Dentists' advice these days is not to rinse. I feel that if you explain that to DH and he ignores you still [yellow teeth and all] there is - sadly - more to all this "relationship" than may meet the eye.

I have literally no idea whether DH rinses or not, I am not in the bathroom when he showers and brushes his teeth. How often are you seeing him brush his teeth?