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.

You’d be better off nagging him to go to the hygienist rather then about the rinsing I know. He hasn't been for ages. I tell him. He doesn't go. Meh, up to him. Then he read a paper (academic paper so totally definitely true) which said seeing dentists regularly actually has minimal impact on oral health. Brilliant, that was his mind made up forever then.

He's a secret smoker He's really not

Oh, leave him alone, you sound quite controlling to have arguments over the man rinsing his mouth, which you'll find 95% of people do.

And if his teeth are yellow it's not for rinsing.

I don't see why you can't let it go.

You can have your teeth painted with fluoride, and just rinse as you please

I read "How to stop ds rinsing", then realised it was a DP.
Poor man, yellowing teeth and a wife who acts like his mother.

Newt wrong with rinsing, your teeth are clean as you've just done them.
I'm sure all his teeth won't fall out through rinsing.

Just stop watching him cleaning his teeth.

Simple.

Why does it matter?

Surely you just do what you thinks best and he does what he prefers.

I don’t rinse, OH does but they are his teeth and he’s old enough to decide

Wow, I have to say I have never heard this before.

saying that I am sure that the swallowing of fluoride will be the biggest of some illness in years to come.
YABU but thanks for the post I will look into it.

biggest cause of some illness

Brushing soon after eating can damage your teeth. You are selective about the advice you follow so why expect him to listen to you?

Do you tell him how to wipe his arse as well?

You can have your teeth painted with fluoride, and just rinse as you please

Yes, that, or use a fluoride gel twice a week as I suggested above, but seems like the OP is more interested in moaning about her DP than actually solving the (fairly minor) problem.

Any other issues?

This is a category F problem to me. Forget about it.

I don’t eat until 10.30 or 11.00 most days. I’m certainly not waiting umtil then to brush my teeth.

OP, in the nicest possible way you sound bonkers about this. You’ve told him, he’s heard you and he still prefers to do it his way. Get over yourself.

Has it occurred to you that you may also be slightly less than perfect and may have your own annoying little ways?

I cant bear to not rinse after brushing as it makes me so thirsty. So I rinse but I try to use very little water. Could you suggest that to him?

It's his choice, but no, you should never rinse. DH still does but that's his lookout. he knows you shouldn't.

I'm in my fifties with very few fillings and have mostly never rinsed. Adult DSs have never had any treatment required and have been raised not to rinse either. DH has an issue with virtually every tooth in his mouth and also a fair few extractions. He brushes and flosses religiously but just can't stop himself rinsing.

Rugby tackle him after brushing and tie his wrists behind his back. Then sit on him until the permissible period of time has passed.

Or (for night-time brushes) a swift strike to the head with a baseball bat, catch him in a wheelbarrow, and tip him directly into bed.

you are supposed to brush before eating in the morning. None of us eat breakfast so that's fine.

You're supposed to brush with a dry brush first no paste as it removes more plaque.

Then with paste and then no water and don't rinse.

Rinsing with water washes the fluoride off your teeth.

I think it's crazy you're this bothered. Rinsing may not be ideal but it's hardly going to destroy his teeth - it's definitely not the cause of them being yellow - would you be this bothered if he didn't floss an optimal amount? If he never brushed his teeth fair enough but get involved but this is micromanaging.

I always rinse as I hate the taste of toothpaste and it makes my gums ‘burn’.

I’m 31, never had a filling, no tooth staining and no thinning of enamel.

I don't rinse either. Dentist said not to.

I've always rinsed. Swallowing fluoride every day is a really bad idea. And how else are you going to stop tiny particles of food re-lodging themselves between your teeth? If his teeth are brown it's not down to rinsing.

I don’t rinse. I spit out all the minty stuff. You only need a pea sized bit of toothpaste anyway so you shouldn’t have loads of foam. Most people use wayyyy too much paste (toothpaste ads are to blame there, I reckon).

If you are worried about ‘bits’ being left between in your teeth either rinse before brushing, to loosen the bits or floss and rinse pre brushing to loosen the bits.

@MyuMe unless you don't produce saliva for some reason, the fluoride will be off your teeth and down your throat in a few seconds anyway.

I rinse. I don't want to swallow (even more) fluoride.