Do you brush teeth once or twice.

cattom

When I was a kid I was all ways taught to brush my teeth with toothpaste, and then afterwards brush them with water to rinse the toothpaste off. when I went to the dentist yesterday for my check up, a poster on the waiting room wall, says brush your teeth with toothpaste, but do not rinse it off as it leaves the fluoride to work for longer. 
so do you brush once or brush twice?. personally I all ways brush twice, because that's how I was taught.

Toothsmith

Yep - current advice is to 'brush, spit but don't rinse'. Particularly effective for your pre-bed toothbrushing as that way fluoride can be stuck to your teeth for a few hours (As salivary glands slow down considerably as we sleep as well, so won't wash it off so quickly)

If anyone is using mouthwash after brushing - then stop that too! (Unless specifically recommended to you by your dentist or hygienist). The antibacterials, and fluoride in a toothpaste have a much better effect on the teeth & gums that anything in mouthwashes - and so if not washed away too quickly, will have an effect that lasts longer than the toothbrushing session.

I know it can be a bit confusing if things you've been taught when younger change - but that is the effect of science & research! Ways of checking & testing theories get better all the time, and if something given as a 'rule' is shown not to be the case - then it's time to change the advice.

Floss

Twice a day, morning & night, with extra if I'm going out. Never rinsed, it always seemed to defeat the object of fluoride toothpaste if you washed it out of your mouth!

MovingForwards

Nearly 4 years ago I broke a couple of teeth and my dentist prescribed some toothpaste and told me not to rinse it off after brushing. I've kept that up ever since.

Brie

My dentist dad never suggested doing more than a quick rinse after brushing.   And as I recall this was simply due to one bro walking around the house after brushing looking like a rabid dog foaming at the mouth.

donnac2558

I have been brushing once for a few years.  Never rinse the toothpaste out of my mouth a quick spit for excess that is it.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Twice a day - after breakfast, before bed. No rinsing, no mouthwash (It has lower fluoride than toothpaste!) 

hob_nob_bob

Twice a day but only ever once per brush. Proper brush then spit (I never rinse) AM and PM.