I've heard that flouride kills bacteria and other horrible things from your mouth. But then again I've heard some other things about flouride calcification so I donno.
I've definitely found that brushing without toothpaste is doable, but it doesn't feel very clean or fresh.
>>5452 I think it's up to you - I use a Sonicare toothbrush (which is excellent and highly recommended) - my teeth / mouth feel a lot cleaner with toothpaste, the foam helps with the sonic action of the brush, than without - maybe yours are different.
You might not notice any immediate difference between toothpaste/mouthwash or not, but I guarantee other people will. I don't believe you can just brush with water and expect the same result on cleanliness/breath.
Also, one of the few immediate benefits I've found to wearing a facemask recently is that I can smell when my breath is a bit "off" way before any other method like licking the back of your hand.
Fluoride has a chemical reaction with calcium that forms a layer on the surface of the teeth that acts as a barrier protecting the teeth from erosion. In areas where they add fluoride to the water it is estimated for every pound spent on it it saves ten thousand in dentistry.
Yes and you can find the benefits of toothpaste from a basic google search.
What is going on with the sudden influx of poor dental hygiene - this is probably the worst possible time to end up needing someone to peer into your mouth. Brush your teeth, lads. Properly.
>>5459 I posted in that thread that my tips had also gone see-through, but I brush at least once a day. I wouldn't consider my mouth a disaster area like that OP's.
I use it to rinse the bits of food out of my teeth after a meal. Brushing your teeth after everything you eat is definitely a bit psychopathic, but most tooth decay is meant to start off from the bits of carbohydrate stuck to your teeth, which breaks down into sugar because of your mouth enzymes. Mouthwash feels like a good compromise, or a bit of sugar free chewing gum if you're out.
