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Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

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Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#1
I was helping my son learn to write and realized I’ve been holding the pencil wrong when I write. When I changed my grip to match how my son was learning, it was more comfortable. What have you learned that is different and better than something you’ve always done?

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#3
post #2

You aren't supposed to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to spit excess, but leave the toothpaste on to absorb.

Or rinse and use mouthwash with fluoride and leave that. Brush from top to bottom, not side to side. "Scrape" your tooth when flossing. Seems like way too many never learn these basics.

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#4
post #2

You aren't supposed to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to spit excess, but leave the toothpaste on to absorb.

Well now I learned something new and very useful. Applying to kids tonight.

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#5
post #2

You aren't supposed to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to spit excess, but leave the toothpaste on to absorb.

May I swallow? I find that my breath and tonsils feel fresher.

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#6
post #2

You aren't supposed to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to spit excess, but leave the toothpaste on to absorb.

Wouldn't that result in the ingestion of a large quantity of toothpaste over the course of a lifetime? I can't imagine that would be good for you.

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#7
post #2

You aren't supposed to rinse your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to spit excess, but leave the toothpaste on to absorb.

Or rinse and use mouthwash with fluoride and leave that. Brush from top to bottom, not side to side. "Scrape" your tooth when flossing. Seems like way too many never learn these basics.

> "Scrape" your tooth when flossing. Seems like way too many never learn these basics.

Nothing proves flossing is beneficial actually

Re: Ask HN: Something you’ve done your whole life that you realized is wrong?

#10
Several years ago, I was reading the NYRB selections from Thoreau's journals. Somewhere well into it, he wrote of talking with a friend, and the two deciding that perhaps they were tying their shoes wrong. They switched the order of the first cross-over, and found the results much better.

I tried it (age 50-something), and discovered that I no longer needed to double-knot my shoes.

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