New Yorkers are mostly grossed out after discovering the actual directions from toothpaste manufacturers on how to brush their teeth.

I've been diligently brushing and flossing for over 50 years. In all of that time, I guess I never bothered to actually read the instructions on my toothpaste tube. After speaking with a sampling of radio listeners, it turns out that I'm not alone.

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"Disgusting" Toothpaste Instructions Discovered

You may be shocked to learn that all of us were incorrectly taught how to brush our teeth. For my entire life, I've brushed, flossed and then rinsed. But according to "Big Toothpaste" I'm doing everything wrong.

If you look at any tube of toothpaste you'll see that an important step in what we all believe is good oral hygiene has been left out of the directions, and apparently it's for a very good reason.

Toothpaste manufacturers have been very careful to omit any mention of rinsing your mouth after you've finished brushing. The reason is because you're not supposed to. While this may seem completely counterintuitive, toothpaste makers say that washing away their product will make your teeth less healthy.

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Why You Should Never Rinse After Brushing

According to instructions from several toothpaste companies and guidance from the National Health Service, it's not a good idea to rinse your mouth after you've brushed your teeth. In fact, using mouthwash after brushing is also strongly frowned upon.

It turns out that toothpaste does more than scrub debris from your teeth. According to Sensodyne, most Americans were incorrectly taught that toothpaste should be cleaned from your mouth after brushing. In fact, it's important to allow the toothpaste to remain on your teeth in order to reap all of its health benefits.

Toothpaste contains fluoride, a mineral that prevents tooth decay. Your toothpaste is designed to hold that fluoride on your teeth so that it can be absorbed by the enamel. Prematurely rinsing it away negates most of the effects of this beneficial mineral.

Colgate agrees, stating guidance from the NHA that discourages using mouthwash after brushing. Instead, they say that toothpaste should be left in the mouth. The group explains that mouthwash should be incorporated some other time during the day to prevent interference with fluoride in your toothpaste.

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New Yorkers Strongly Disagree With Toothpaste Instructions

After learning that rinsing toothpaste is frowned upon by oral care professionals most of our listeners had the same reaction: "Yuck!" An overwhelming majority of phone calls and online comments expressed shock and horror over the thought of walking around with a mouth that hasn't been rinsed of toothpaste.

When we asked if anyone would give it a try, only a few said that they would be up for doing away with a rinse the next time they brushed their teeth. All of them, however, were skeptical that they would continue to follow the no-rinse guidance.

We want to know what you think. Do you brush without rinsing? If not, would you consider changing your brushing habits after learning the proper toothpaste instructions? Let us know your thoughts on our Facebook page or by sending us a message on our mobile app.

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