Is It Safe to Leave Toothpaste on Your Teeth Overnight?

February 2, 2024

Brushing our teeth is a routine that we all do every day. But did you know that you're supposed to leave your toothpaste on your teeth overnight?

Of course, we don't mean that you should swallow your toothpaste; simply spit out the excess when you're done brushing, and don't rinse! Leaving toothpaste on your teeth has a few benefits for your oral health.

In this post, we'll discuss:

The benefits and risks of leaving toothpaste on overnight
The proper way to use toothpaste on your teeth
Some other tips and tricks for getting a thorough clean.

Let's get started!

Exploring the Benefits and Risks of Leaving Toothpaste on Teeth Overnight

First up, let's get straight to it: is it safe to leave toothpaste on your teeth? The short answer is yes it is!

However, the long answer is a bit more complicated. You see, it all depends on what’s in the toothpaste you’re using.

Traditional toothpastes that contain fluoride are more effective when left on your teeth for a few additional minutes after brushing. The only risk is that swallowing it can be potentially dangerous.

However, if you’re using a fluoride-free toothpaste (such as n-Ha toothpaste), you don’t need to worry about accidentally swallowing it. That makes it safer to leave on your teeth overnight!

Benefits of leaving toothpaste on your teeth

1. Toothpaste works better the longer you leave it on

Did you know that toothpaste works better when you don't rinse?

Dentists are now saying that instead of rinsing after you finish brushing, you should only spit out the excess toothpaste and water.

This is true for both fluoride and n-Ha toothpastes. Giving toothpaste more time to work on the surface of your teeth helps them fortify the surface of your teeth.

2. It helps fight against tooth decay and cavities

This is a direct benefit from leaving the toothpaste on for longer. If you’re prone to tooth decay or cavities, you might find that letting your toothpaste sit works better at maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

This is because the toothpaste gets more time to work to remineralize your teeth.

When you rinse your mouth after brushing, you’re doing more harm than good! Rinsing slows down the magic power of toothpaste that helps protect our teeth.

3. It’s perfectly safe to do

Finally, leaving toothpaste on your teeth is perfectly safe for your health! As long as you don’t eat or drink immediately after brushing, you’ll be fine.

From a young age, we’ve been told to always spit and rinse after brushing.

This is because some traditional dental products have a higher concentration of fluoride than others, so making a habit of rinsing keeps us on the safe side.

Risks

1. You might ingest your toothpaste

The only risk of leaving toothpaste on your teeth is that you might accidentally swallow some of it!

However, this is only a risk when it comes to fluoride-based toothpaste. While a little bit won’t harm you, it might lead to more serious issues over time.

In the short term, you might experience side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. However, this is only if you consume a lot of fluoride (which chances are, you won't).

With toothpaste that uses other ingredients (e.g. n-Ha), you’re perfectly safe to swallow them. This makes it easier to not rinse!

That's pretty much the only risk related to leaving toothpaste on your teeth overnight.

The benefits very clearly outweigh the potential risks, especially if you don’t use fluoride-based toothpaste!

Proper Toothpaste Usage Guidelines

When it comes to cleansing our teeth, we all know the drill: twice a day for two minutes each time!

While this advice is still relevant, here’s a guided process from professionals on the best way to use toothpaste on our teeth:

Apply a small amount to your brush

You should only be using around a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Too little won’t help your teeth at all, and too much will overwhelm your mouth.

A small dollop of toothpaste on the bristles is all you need. Dentists recommend rinsing your toothbrush with water before brushing, as this helps lubricate the brush so you get a nice and even clean.

Brush for two minutes, ensuring you get all sides of your teeth

Now, it's time for the fun part: brushing! This should be done at a 45-degree angle so the bristles can slide around all those tight corners.

Move the brush in small movements from side to side to clean your teeth, and make sure you work at every visible side. If you’re using an electric toothbrush, you'll just need to maneuver the brush around your teeth.

When you’re done, spit out the excess

Finally, don’t rinse your mouth! Just spit out the leftover liquid and clean off your brush.

Leave the toothpaste to work on the surface of your teeth for at least 10 minutes.

It's tempting to rinse out the minty flavor, but this is an important step to getting the most out of your toothpaste.

Other Tips for Good Dental Hygiene

Here are a few extra tips to help you keep your teeth clean and shiny:

Replace your toothbrush every 3 - 4 months. Over time, the bristles start to fray, which decreases their efficiency. Stay on top of this by keeping track of how long you’ve had your current toothbrush and replacing it when needed!
Remember to floss before brushing. Flossing helps remove plaque buildup, which keeps your teeth cleaner for longer. Try to floss before you brush your teeth so you don’t need to rinse when you’re done.
Use a mouthwash after brushing. But make sure that you wait 10 minutes to give your toothpaste enough time to work on your teeth.
Keep up to date with your dentist appointments. Going for a check-up once a year is an easy way to stay on top of your oral health.
Eat a balanced diet. Remember, what you put in your body also touches your teeth! Eating a good range of healthy food will keep your gut and your mouth happy.
Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your chance of gum disease, discoloration of teeth, and oral & lung cancer.
Electric or manual toothbrush? It all comes down to personal preference. Electric brushes might help you get a more thorough clean, and they’re also handy for people with limited movement capability. However, manual options still work just as well.

Explore the Wonders of Boka's Oral Care Products

If you’re looking to up your tooth-cleaning game, you should check out Boka’s range of oral care products.

Boka’s oral care products are the perfect addition to your daily routine. They have everything from toothpaste to electric toothbrushes and flossers!

Boka Toothbrushes

Whether you prefer electric or manual, Boka has a couple of great options to cater to your preferences.

All of their toothbrushes feature activated charcoal bristles. These soft bristles help you gently clean your teeth and also help to limit bacterial growth.

The other bonus of using charcoal bristles is that they help prevent you from brushing too hard. This can lead to gum recession and temperature sensitivity – something no one wants!

Boka has both normal manual toothbrushes and an electric option available.

The electric toothbrush features a sleek design with a rotating head that does the hard work for you!

It also has a built-in timer and a long-lasting battery life so you know how long you need to brush.

Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-Ha) Toothpaste

Boka’s toothpastes are great fluoride-free options to add to your daily routine.

Instead of fluoride, they use the magic ingredient n-Ha, which is a naturally occurring mineral that already makes up a good part of your tooth structure!

Using a n-Ha toothpaste is scientifically proven to be just as effective as a fluoride toothpaste.

It has the benefit of remineralizing your teeth as well as fortifying the surface of your teeth.

The other benefit of using n-Ha toothpaste is that it’s perfectly safe to swallow.

Boka even has a few different flavor options for you to try in case you want to get rid of that lingering mint flavor!

Floss

Boka also offers a few different floss options for you to try. We have a regular floss, which is strong and non-slippery and comes in a few different flavor options.

This floss is also BPA, Teflon, parabens, SLS, and PFAS free, so you can feel good about flossing your little heart out.

If you want to try something electric, Boka’s Power Flosser is another great option!

This electric flosser features 3 different water settings, a long-lasting battery, a built-in timer, and a 360-degree rotating nozzle to give you a deeper clean.

Mouthwash Tablets

If you’re looking for a mouthwash product, Boka has you covered here as well. Our mouthwash tablets might seem less traditional than liquid mouthwash but they're just as effective.

These chewable tablets are fluoride-free and help soothe your irritated gums. They work in the same way as a normal mouthwash, except in tablet form!

Saliva-activated, they work to support a healthy mouth so you can keep feeling good about your oral health.