Is prolonged swishing toothpaste bad?
My teeth have recession and some erosion of the dentin. I also had a soft spot on a tooth seen in an x-ray that the dentist said is not yet a cavity. To maintain, or conceivably reverse this, after inquiring I was advised to use a fluoride mouth wash between brushings. I thought that I don't want to damage the oral biome as much as frequent use of mouth wash would, so instead i started applying tooth paste, which I'm using in any case, (Trader Joe's) and retaining it in my mouth for ten minutes or more before spitting. Google AI tells me that this is bad because the chemicals can damage the sensitive gum tissue, and the abrasives will further abrade the dentin. I don't think that I believe that swishing toothpaste without brushing will abrade the teeth. What do you think? Is it a bad idea to apply toothpaste between brushings and retain in mouth with some swishing before spitting?
I don't smoke or drink (forum rules said to specify this).
Posted Aug 8, 2026, 5:36 PM UTC