this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2026
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me_irl

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[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Don't lay the toothpaste on top, and don't use so much. They do it that way in the commercials because it looks better for the camera, and they want you to use more so you buy more.

Squeeze the toothpaste into the bristles, and use half that amount.

But, yeah, wet the toothbrush first, regardless.

[–] YoFrodo@lemmy.world 69 points 2 days ago (7 children)

Just wet the brush first, then add the toothpaste.

[–] craftrabbit@lemmy.zip 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Just add the toothpaste, wet the brush, add more toothpaste, do a backflip, peel the toothbrush off the wall, wet the brush and then add the toothpaste simple as

[–] NotBillMurray@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Instructions unclear, got my dick stuck in the exhaust fan in my bathroom's ceiling.

[–] hash@slrpnk.net 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Wet the brush, add toothpaste, rotate toothbrush so paste is on side, put only bottom of bristles in water stream, brush.

[–] YoFrodo@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

why wet it again after its already wet tho?

[–] almost1337@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Wet the dries, paste the wets, wet the paste

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[–] Bougie_Birdie@piefed.blahaj.zone 59 points 2 days ago (3 children)

PSA: that's way too much toothpaste

I don't think too much toothpaste will hurt you or anything, but you could get away with 1/2 to 1/3 of what's pictured and it will clean exactly the same. Big Toothpaste wants you to use a lot to boost sales, but you only need a pea-sized dollop.

It will save you money, provided you're not dumping it all in the sink like OP the clumsy fool (Love ya OP, we've all been there)

[–] danafest@infosec.pub 2 points 1 day ago

I'm not sure if it's Mandela effect or what, but I could swear it literally used to be written on the tube to use "a pea sized amount"

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (6 children)

I also found out I was taught to brush my teeth incorrectly.

Apparently you are supposed to use mouthwash, then floss, then brush, then let the toothpaste sit on your teeth for ten minutes instead of rinsing immediately.

[–] Bougie_Birdie@piefed.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Funny, I had heard floss then mouthwash because the flossing opens up more space for the mouthwash to get into.

But I think the chief thing dentists recommend is toothpaste last and not to rinse.

Either way, if you're doing all three then you're ahead of 90% of tooth owners

[–] WraithGear@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

i heard mouthwash wasn’t even good for your teeth, you floss, swish and then brush.

[–] PhoenixDog@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

then let the toothpaste sit on your teeth for ten minutes instead of rinsing immediately.

So is that also after I throw up from the toothpaste on my teeth? When do I rinse my mouth after barfing?

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sorry, I'm an American and you hate those, so I'm not sure any advice I give you would be taken in good faith.

[–] PhoenixDog@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Nope. Nothing an American says matters to anyone.

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 1 points 21 hours ago

I don't think you actually believe that.

[–] trashcroissant@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My hygienist is very against mouthwash because it kills the good germs. But yeah I also just learned that you floss first when I was always taught to floss last. Doesn't make sense to go last I should've figured that one out.

[–] djmikeale@feddit.dk 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I was told to floss last in order to get the toothpaste from brushing in between the teeth

But toothpaste staying in teeth is good, hence why it's also recommended not to rinse after brushing

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[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They've steadily been making the hole bigger too.

[–] Bougie_Birdie@piefed.blahaj.zone 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There's a story I've heard about that which drives me nuts. It might be apocryphal, but it does sound believable.

When I was pursuing a degree in IT, I had to take a Business 101 class for reasons I never quite understood. The instructor launches into this story about a guy who goes to a big toothpaste company - Crest or Colgate probably, but the who of it doesn't really matter.

This guy comes in with a pitch, he says that he's got an idea that's guaranteed to increase their revenue by 25% but he won't share it with them unless he's given an arbitrarily large sum of money. It must have been convincing because they agree to hear him out.

So they pay him out and he tells them the idea: make the nozzle on the toothpaste 25% larger.

My instructor asked what lesson we learned from the story. "You can make a bundle by helping corporations cheat their consumers," was not marked as correct, but I maintain that's the chief lesson.

[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 8 points 2 days ago

I don't see what other lesson the instructor was trying to teach. Maybe "Get a guarantee you'll get paid before you help corporations cheat their customers"? The engineer who invented SMS learned that the hard way.

[–] ArfArfWoof@europe.pub 54 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What were you expecting. Why else would you do that.

[–] SatyrSack@quokk.au 20 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Seriously. Just squirt the toothpaste directly into your mouth like an adult.

[–] YaDownWitCPP@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Like a Neanderthal? Just apply a small dollop to each tooth.

[–] Dagnet@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That would take too long. I just make a toothpaste sandwich, that way I can eat and clean my teeth at the same time

[–] HowdyLemmy@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

Oh please. You put the tube end in your mouth, suck, chew, and spit!

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[–] Lumidaub@feddit.org 9 points 2 days ago (4 children)

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.

[–] username_1@discuss.tchncs.de 36 points 2 days ago (3 children)

What stops you from wetting the toothbrush BEFORE applying toothpaste?

[–] Lumidaub@feddit.org 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

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.

[–] nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Or using the water in your mouth? I don't wet my toothbrush pre-brush and my teeth come out fine.

[–] childOfMagenta@jlai.lu 11 points 2 days ago

They are not supposed to.

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[–] xylol@leminal.space 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

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

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[–] BlindPenguin@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

Skill issue

[–] elevenbones@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

Do y'all ain't got saliva? Why u need to wet ur brush?

[–] Paulemeister@feddit.org 4 points 1 day ago

I don't use water at all. Never saw the appeal of wetting

[–] 5ha99y@lemmus.org 3 points 2 days ago

It is best to not wet the brush at all. Tastes bad but is better for the teeth

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