A dental expert has recommended not rinsing after the cleaning the mouth at night in order to maximise the toothpaste's effect.
Lynn Tomkins, president of the Ontario Dental Association, pointed out that rinsing washes away the protective fluoride coating that is left by the toothpaste.
"I recommend not rinsing, particularly for the night time,” she told the Health Zone website.
This will enable people to "leave a nice film of fluoride on their teeth overnight", Ms Tomkins added.
She also refuted common misconceptions such as wetting toothbrushes under the tap and suggested that people waiting at least 30 minutes after brushing before eating or drinking.
Ms Tomkins also advised people to optimise their brushing technique by scrubbing the chewing surfaces first, then the side closest to the tongue, then the side closest to the roof of the mouth, then the cheek side, then the outside.
Writing on Plum-Oakmont Patch, lifestyle expert Erin Hill recently stressed the importance of flossing regularly to avoid emergency dentistry treatment. 