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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or just a bit arsey in wanting to correct misinformation in son's homework re toothbrushing?

87 replies

jasper · 29/05/2008 23:49

Ds has as part of his homework

Rearrange the following in order.

1)Rinse your mouth with water and spit
2)Put toothpaste on brush
3)Brush teeth up and down

Now apart from being ridiculously simple for nine year olds the issue I have is with the instruction to rinse your mouth.
For maximun effect you should NOT rinse your mouth, especially before bedtime.

I was tempted to write a note to this effect but my 9 yo effectivey told me not to embarrass him , and to get a life.

Your comments please

OP posts:
LobstersLass · 30/05/2008 01:01

But not too vigorously! I've wrecked the gum line on one of my teeth by vigorous horizontal brushing and have managed to expose the dentine (OUCH!), hence the visit to the dentist and the lesson in how to brush one's teeth!

FromGirders · 30/05/2008 01:22

that's really interesting about inheriting crumbly teeth from your mum. Mum and me have crap teeth, Dad and brother have great ones.
Now I feel bad about dd .

Dottydot · 30/05/2008 04:04

Huh?????? No rinsing?? Are you sure???? I've not heard this before and dp will take a lot of convincing - ds's have been taught to rinse about a million times after brushing.

I'm v. confused (39, no fillings, have always rinsed! )

Dottydot · 30/05/2008 04:05

Huh?????? No rinsing?? Are you sure???? I've not heard this before and dp will take a lot of convincing - ds's have been taught to rinse about a million times after brushing.

I'm v. confused (39, no fillings, have always rinsed! )

Dottydot · 30/05/2008 04:06

Huh?????? No rinsing?? Are you sure???? I've not heard this before and dp will take a lot of convincing - ds's have been taught to rinse about a million times after brushing.

I'm v. confused (39, no fillings, have always rinsed! )

Dottydot · 30/05/2008 04:21

oops!

Minum · 30/05/2008 06:52

Definately news to me, I've always rinsed, and taught DS to do the same. Ah well, will make cleaning teeth easier when we go camping.

minster · 30/05/2008 10:22

Yup no rinsing - I don't rinse my childrens' mouths after brushing either & use a very small amount of adult toothpaste from the beginning (neither 7yo dd nor 20mo ds have a problem with the taste now). Mouthwash is pointless.

RubberDuck · 30/05/2008 10:26

NO MOUTHWASH?!!!

But but but ... I hate flossing, always have done always will do, and when I use mouthwash regularly the dentists doesn't complain that I'm not flossing

Plus, I always use mouthwash at first sign of scratchy throat to avoid throat infections.

Please tell me I'm not dissolving my teeth....

(No fillings to date, so I can't be doing THAT badly, can I?!)

RubberDuck · 30/05/2008 10:27

Oh oh ... sonic toothbrushes - are they just crafty advertising or better for you than a normal electric toothbrush?

PuppyMonkey · 30/05/2008 10:29

No rinsing! I have NEVER heard this before. Please can a dentist come on and confirm this immediately...????

edam · 30/05/2008 10:32

My mother has terribly crumbly teeth but mine are fine - are you telling me she's not my real mum?!

madmuggle · 30/05/2008 11:31

Rinsing a big no-no in the muggle family. As is using water on the toothbrush at the start of brushing.

hercules1 · 30/05/2008 11:32

this is a great thread. So no water either on teh toothbrush at start either. Started this morning by not rinsing.

madmuggle · 30/05/2008 11:40

That's what the hygienist and dental advisory types have told me. Apparently the water aids the foamy, the foamy while nice for brushing is not an effective way to get the fluoride to stick to ye olde teeth.

Needless to say, my daughter is not best pleased by all this, and we have twice daily discussions on the art of brushing teeth,

cyteen · 30/05/2008 11:49

I've never been told not to rinse (mind you, I haven't set foot in the dentist's for quite some time). Will still do it though, the thought of leaving a load of crusty toothpaste grot all over my mouth is too disgusting.

Everyone in my family has crap teeth anyway.

PuppyMonkey · 30/05/2008 11:52

MN is truly the font of all knowledge. I had NO idea...

mistypeaks · 30/05/2008 11:55

I never put water on my toothbrush. It just makes the paste slide off! I do floss (usually ) I also use mouthwash though - it just seems to help rid my mouth of all the little bits that float around after flossing [bleuch].

Anchovy · 30/05/2008 11:58

Ooh I knew this

The very lovely Dr Nick told us to keep all the fluoride-y goodness in our mouth by merely spitting but not rinsing.

Truly we are in the vanguard of dental hygiene in the Anchovy household.

mybrainaches · 30/05/2008 12:00

I cant floss to save my life (cack handed) so I use interdental brushes, much easier.

FluffyMummy123 · 30/05/2008 12:01

Message withdrawn

Berrie · 30/05/2008 12:02

Eh? I didn't used to rinse with dc but I read a big article in the Times a month or so back about how bad it was for them to swallow toothpaste. We've been rinsing ever since...

SmugColditz · 30/05/2008 12:04

So that's why my teeth are fine despite me being too lazy to finish brushing my teeth at night (and by finish, I mean rinse!)

Baffy · 30/05/2008 12:08

Definitely tell the school.

I think a lot of people have no idea about this but I remember my dentist telling me years ago not to rinse.

SmugColditz · 30/05/2008 12:10

So that's why my teeth are fine despite me being too lazy to finish brushing my teeth at night (and by finish, I mean rinse!)

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