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Turning off the tap after you start brushing your teeth with toothpaste will save water

Spitting can be considered one of the worst habits a person can have, but the British Dental Health Foundation working with SaveWaterSaveMoney and 10 of the UK’s leading water companies are encouraging people to “spit don’t rinse” after using toothpaste. Spitting will not only help to save water but also improve dental health.

The two-step message is designed to encourage people to turn off the tap after they start brushing their teeth with toothpaste and save water. Rather than running the tap during cleaning and using it to rinse the teeth, instead just spit out the water and then use a fluoride mouthwash. Research by SaveWaterSaveMoney has shown that this simple act will not only save around 12 litres of water but will also help to protect teeth.

Fluoride is the single-most important ingredient in toothpastes. It greatly helps dental health by strengthening the tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay. It also reduces the amount of acid that the bacteria on your teeth produce.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said: “It seems from research done by SaveWaterSaveMoney that a significant proportion of people rinse their mouth out with water after they’ve brushed their teeth and leave the tap running, not aware of what this can do to the environment.

“By spitting the toothpaste out and not rinsing with water, this ensures that the fluoride found in 90 per cent of toothpastes and mouthwashes will remain on the teeth and therefore continue to remain effective. The long term effects will help to preserve teeth and save water.”

Tim Robertson, Director of SaveWaterSaveMoney, said: “Turning the tap off while we brush our teeth and not rinsing our mouths out when we’re finished are two simple yet effective ways of saving water in the bathroom.

“In association with the water companies, the ‘Turn off the Tap’ campaign aims to educate people of the importance of turning the tap off while brushing as not only could it save around 12 litres of water every time, it also saves money.”

Research conducted by SaveWaterSaveMoney has revealed that nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of 7 to 10 year olds admitted to leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth.

The research has also shown that in homes using a water-saving aid, only six per cent of 7 to 10 year olds left the tap running, saving over 4,230 litres of water in the process.