Mia Williams
A dentist has issued a warning for anyone with this common hygiene habit, as she advised you could be making a 'big mistake'.
When it comes to looking after your teeth, the guidance feels pretty straight forward - twice a day for two minutes, right?
However, one dentist has warned people about one common thing that a lot of us do during our daily oral hygiene maintenance, that we probably shouldn't.
And while we view it as an extra layer of protection, the expert has warned that it could actually be causing more 'damage'.
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Doctor Shadi has been sharing her expertise and advice on Instagram, urging people to re-think their hygiene habits.
In a recent post, she said: "I have been a dentist for 10 years now, and this shocks me to this day."
She went onto explain how people tend to use mouthwash after brushing their teeth, instead of before.
The dentist added: "When we brush, we need to spit and not rinse out.
"This is because we need to leave the protective fluoride that's in the toothpaste to do what it needs to do, and that takes time."
The expert noted that fluoride makes the teeth stronger, and kills off the bacteria that causes tooth decay.
She continued: "If you go in with your mouth wash and rinse that protective fluoride away, your teeth are going to become quite susceptible and weak, and this can basically damage them every time you have something sugary."
However, some have suggested that fluoride is in most mouthwashes, which counteracts the dentist's advice.
In response, she added: "The concentration of fluoride in mouthwashes is usually a lot lower, usually a third maximum, of toothpaste.
"So you need to be using it before you brush your teeth and not afterwards."
People in the comments noted that they had learnt 'wrong' from a young age.
One said: "Most people do this because we have never been educated by our dentists to do otherwise, thanks for educating us."
Another added: "We have been taught how to clean all wrong from a young age.
"Where have u been all my life! Implementing a few of ur advices has changed the game for me personally."
The government recently proposed that all newly-qualified dentists would be required to work in the NHS for several years after completing their degree, in order to boost the dental workforce - which is currently struggling.