[fredriklaa]

I have returned from abscence of playing about a year ago. I remember my teacher said I should brush my teeth before playing. Is this only to prevent larger particles to enter the mouthpiece and then the sax or are there other reasons as well?

 

[milandro]

well, I suggest to not eat nuts just before playing but if you do rinsing with beer or spirit (or water) will suffice.

It is absolutely pointless and overkill to brush your teeth before playing. I have neved done any such thing and my horn not only doesn’t smell but if there is anything in it ( like dust) it didn’t come from me.

 

[kreacher]

Probably due to hygiene on the reed. If you play with a mouth unwashed it's more likely to leave sugar residues on it and become a medium on which bacteria and fungi grow. The same for the neck I assume.

 

[milandro]

again, it is not easy to prove the negative ( there fore proving that not brushing your teeth is harming anything in your saxophone), but drinking a glass of water would prevent any residue of anything through dilution and removal , brushing the teeth is a pointless overkill, besides, brushing teeth straight after eating is often harmful to your teeth https://www.awildsmile.com/blog/brushing-after-meals/

By the way this brushing thing before playing came up before( as most things and MANY times) and even its contrary someone asked if brushing was actually HARMFUL to the saxophone

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?89235-Brushing-teeth-before-playing-BAD

 

[jman1977]

Let';s not get carried away and make sweeping conclusions like “it';s absolutely pointless” to do something based on anecdotal evidence.

For every anecdotal evidence like yours there is anecdotal evidence tending to prove the opposite.

I don';t have time to do thread searches right now, but I distinctly recall other threads where in the past few months where at least one other member has shared that they started brushing their teeth after discovering collections of gunk in their horn, and that after brushing they never had the same issue again (at least that was the implication, if they didn’t outright state it).

Does it mean one must absolutely brush their teeth before playing? Maybe, maybe not. Anecdotal evidence is inconclusive.

well, I suggest to not eat nuts just before playing but if you do rinsing with beer or spirit (or water) will suffice.

It is absolutely pointless and overkill to brush your teeth before playing. I have neved done any such thing and my horn not only doesn';t smell but if there is anything in it ( like dust) it didn';t come from me.

 

[extradarcafe]

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[A Greene]

I keep a toothbrush in my case. In addition to nuts, I also stay clear carrots, broccoli, and califlower at wedding receptions.

 

[lostcircuits]

Probably due to hygiene on the reed. If you play with a mouth unwashed it's more likely to leave sugar residues on it and become a medium on which bacteria and fungi grow. The same for the neck I assume.

I don't really think it matters unless you gulp down a big piece of chocolate cake and don't flush afterwards with a beer directly before you play. But if you have pieces of meat stuck between your teeth or maybe some other food residue, you should brush your teeth just for your own sake and the sake of your teeth. There is nothing worse than playing a solo and having to stop in between to pick your teeth when all eyes are on you.

 

[KeyPi]

I do brush my teeth also for my own comfort before playing.
I noticed that after long playing I sometimes have hoarseness, as if I was singing.
Maintaining oral hygiene (sipping clean water and brushing teeth) helps to protect against inflammation (I believe and feel it).
And me too (as A Greene mentioned above) - toothbrush always with me.
I also always have with me Dental Floss waxed mint flavour, I recommend it from the depth of my heart ... more precisly - from the depth of my teeth

 

[Fader]

I do not brush my teeth before playing - I brush them after eating.

 

[milandro]

it is advisable to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before brushing

 

[Grumps]

If I can brush my teeth before playing, I will. If I'm on a gig and the band gets to eat, I bring a toothpick.

 

[milandro]

I have never had ANY gunk in my saxophone, ever, if others do it’s not clear to me why , I simply don’t hav ethat experience ( I play almost every day). I clean the sax and swab it and never had ANY dirt on the swab worth noting. Since I don’t brush my teeth before playing I conclude that it is pointless to do so because no ill effects EVER came from not doing it and my saxophone couldn’t be any cleaner if i did. The only “ dirt” that I have ever found was a collection of little dust at the bottom of the bow but that was not food, I can promise you that

 

[Grumps]

Well, it's not like brushing your teeth after you eat is a bad idea; regardless of whether you're playing or not. Just seems to make sense though, before you play. Anecdotal considerations aside.

 

[jman1977]

I have never had ANY gunk in my saxophone, ever, if others do it’s not clear to me why , I simply don’t hav ethat experience ( I play almost every day). I clean the sax and swab it and never had ANY dirt on the swab worth noting. Since I don’t brush my teeth before playing I conclude that it is pointless to do so because no ill effects EVER came from not doing it and my saxophone couldn’t be any cleaner if i did. The only “ dirt” that I have ever found was a collection of little dust at the bottom of the bow but that was not food, I can promise you that

Sure, but you are proposing a conclusion that's overly broad based on the evidence you use to support it. Who's to say that your anecdote is more representative than other's anecdotes, and which anecdote is the rule and which one is the exception?

As one of the staunchest advocates of accepting scientific evidence over personal experience in other threads, surely you see the issue with your conclusion?

Personally, I do brush my teeth before playing unless I had not eaten since the last time I brushed, and particularly if I had just eaten recently. I agree with Grumps that it just makes sense.

 

[JohnInDenver]

I thought the "brush teeth before playing" advice was aimed at students who may be drinking sweet sodas (or eating sweet treats) then playing their instrument. And the advice about rinsing your mouth with beer before playing does not work for me - in my experience, soaking in beer seems to shorten the life of a reed. But I would certainly recommend rinsing your mouth with water before playing if you've eaten anything.

 

[MLucky]

I often brush my teeth before practicing: my practice space is near my home bathroom, t's convenient to do so, so why not? I think it probably keeps the mouthpiece, reeds, and horn a little cleaner and avoids the accumulation of odors. I don't take a toothbrush with me to gigs or rehearsals, but I do try to make an effort to swoosh my mouth out with water before playing if I've been eating or drinking. No one ever told me to do this: it just seemed like common sense.

 

[soybean]

In my case, it just feels good to brush (and floss) teeth before playing. I don't do this religiously but whenever it is convenient. There is a definite difference inside the mouthpiece.

 

[sopsax]

The human mouth contains trillions of bacteria, microbes, dead skin cells, fragments of food, etc., & ambient air contains fungal spores, pollen, dust, lint, insect parts, & more bacteria. The reed & neck cork are porous environments frequently inundated with warm, moist, microbe-laden air. Although individual results will vary with location, climate, local flora & fauna, it's absolutely certain that cooties are thriving in our apparatus.

I'm no germophobe, but I do brush before playing. It makes my mouth feel cleaner, & reminds me that making music is an honorable pursuit that deserves respect. After playing, I swab moisture out of the sax body & neck & mouthpiece. From time to time I wash mouthpieces in warm water with mild soap, & give reeds a brief rinse with hydrogen peroxide. Can I prove that these practices benefit my health & my gear? No. Do I need to?

 

[extradarcafe]

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