this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2026
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me_irl
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Some people, including me, have been conditioned to wet the toothbrush and -paste. I don't know why. I know it's not necessary (anymore?), I still do it, automatically. I think it comes from shampoo and soap needing water to foam.
What stops you from wetting the toothbrush BEFORE applying toothpaste?
Automatic behaviour taught in early childhood that I cannot get rid of, not least since there's zero harm in it (apart from very rarely what OP is depicting).
Edit: so I just learnt that there actually is a certain level of harm in it because water somewhat dilutes the toothpaste. This might be enough to make me change my behaviour.
Or using the water in your mouth? I don't wet my toothbrush pre-brush and my teeth come out fine.
They are not supposed to.
"The water in your mouth"
Fucking what? You mean saliva? Which is very much not just water.
I didn't say it was.
You do both, one to rinse the toothbrush, then add paste, then wet it a bit so the paste nestles into the brush. No idea why its just what I was taught as a kid, but dont really do the second part anymore for the same reason that it falls off sometimes then I have to get toilet paper to clean the paste off the sink
I do it because it changes the texture of the toothpaste ever so slightly, making it more smooth and pleasant
I was taught the same.
Same.