You can usually brush your teeth before surgery, but how you do it matters for safety and it must not override the instructions from your own surgeon or anesthesiologist.

Quick Scoop

  • In many hospitals, it is allowed and even encouraged to brush your teeth the morning of surgery to reduce mouth bacteria and lower infection risk.
  • The key rule: do not swallow any water or toothpaste; spit everything out and avoid big rinses. This is to reduce the risk of aspiration (stomach contents getting into the lungs) during anesthesia.
  • Always follow the fasting (NPO) instructions you were given about not eating or drinking before surgery, and if they conflict with generic advice, your own team’s instructions win.
  • If you are unsure or have special conditions (pregnancy, stomach problems, emergency surgery, high aspiration risk), call the pre-op number or your surgeon’s office and ask specifically about toothbrushing.

What most guidelines say

Many surgical and hospital pre-op instructions now recommend good oral hygiene before surgery because a cleaner mouth means fewer bacteria that could contribute to infections.

Typical advice includes:

  • Brush the night before surgery as normal.
  • Brush again the morning of surgery , with:
    • A soft toothbrush.
* A small amount of mild, non‑harsh toothpaste.

* Gentle strokes to avoid gum bleeding or irritation.
  • Spit out all foam and water, and do not purposely swallow any.

Imagine you’re doing your regular brushing, but lighter and more careful, and you treat water and toothpaste like mouthwash you must spit out completely.

What to avoid before surgery

Most pre-op guidance adds a few don’ts around mouth care:

  • Don’t drink a glass of water with or after brushing (other than what your anesthesiologist specifically allows).
  • Don’t swallow toothpaste or repeated mouthfuls of rinse water.
  • Don’t use strong mouthwashes with alcohol unless your team has said it’s fine.
  • Don’t chew gum, suck on mints, or eat anything if you’re already in the fasting window.

These precautions exist because having food or significant liquid in the stomach raises the risk of regurgitation and aspiration once anesthesia is given.

When you might be told “no”

Your own team might tell you not to brush or rinse close to surgery in some situations, for example:

  • Very strict fasting rules (e.g., certain emergency, high‑risk, or specific types of surgeries).
  • Conditions that increase aspiration risk or make anesthesia more complicated.
  • Specific oral or facial procedures where any extra fluid, irritation, or bleeding in the mouth is a concern.

If your written instructions say “nothing in the mouth the morning of surgery,” or you’re not sure what they mean, call and ask, “Can I still brush my teeth if I spit everything out?”

Simple step‑by‑step way to do it safely

If your team has not forbidden it and you are allowed to brush:

  1. Brush before the cut‑off time your pre-op instructions give for clear liquids.
  1. Use a soft brush and a small amount of mild toothpaste.
  1. Brush gently for about two minutes.
  1. Spit everything out thoroughly; if you rinse, use a tiny amount of water and spit it out completely.
  1. After that, follow your fasting rules strictly—no food, gum, or drinks unless specifically allowed.

Bottom line: For most people, you can brush your teeth before surgery as long as you don’t swallow water or toothpaste and you follow the exact fasting and pre-op instructions from your surgical team. When in doubt, call them and ask—they know your case best.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.