It's a habit which has been drummed into us from an early age, but the recent news about flossing your teeth could be a waste of time has put the spotlight on oral hygiene.
When it comes to looking after our teeth, there are certain pieces of wisdom which we've incorporated into our routines.
说起清洁牙齿,其实我们身边存在很多种日常洁牙的方法。
But in the wake of the news about flossing, when it comes to oral hygiene, how much does your average person know about what we should be doing - and which habits do we need to ditch?
For example, how many of us know how long we SHOULD brush or teeth for and how often? And what are we doing wrong?
还有一些问题比如,刷牙应该刷多久?多久应该刷一次?我们的哪些行为是错的呢?
MirrorOnline spoke to the British Dental Association’s scientific adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, who kindly put together this definitive list of "dos and don'ts."
"The best way to prevent tooth decay is to brush teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque, limit the frequency, and amount of sugary food and drinks c**umed in your diet, and see the dentist regularly.
1. Brush for long enough – research indicates that people only brush for 45 seconds
1. 刷牙时间不要太短。研究发现很多人刷牙只刷45秒左右。
2. Rinse the mouth after brushing – fluoride helps to prevent, co**ol and even stop tooth decay – but rinsing the mouth out dilutes the conce**ation of fluoride, so SPIT, don’t rinse.
3. Brush too soon after eating – as enamel on teeth is softened after eating especially with sugary foods – it’s best to wait an hour before brushing which allows the tooth to harden up more.
4. Use a hard bristle toothbrush as this can damage the soft tissues in the gums.
4. 别用硬毛牙刷。硬毛牙刷会伤害牙龈组织。
5. Don't brush too hard – the bristles should lightly sweep the tooth.
5. 刷牙不要太使劲。刷毛应该轻轻扫过牙齿。
Dos 应该做的事:
1. Brush for at least two minutes, twice daily, with a fluoridated toothpaste
1. 每天至少用含氟牙膏刷牙两次,每次刷两分钟。
2. Brush last thing at night and at least on one other occasion
2. 临睡前再刷牙。
3. Use a small headed toothbrush with medium bristles.
3. 最好用中等硬度刷毛的小头牙刷。
4. Put a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste on your toothbrush.
4. 只需要挤豌豆大小的含氟牙膏在牙刷上。
5. Brush along the gum line as well as the teeth themselves
5. 刷牙齿之外也要沿着牙龈线刷一下。
6. Brush all surfaces of the teeth, including the outer, inner and chewing surfaces as well as the hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restorati**.
If you have spaces between teeth, it is best to clean these with an interdental or single-tufted brush. Where the spaces between teeth are too tight to fit such a brush, use dental floss or tape.
7. If you are unsure about the effectiveness of brushing, use disclosing tablets after brushing to highlight any areas you may have missed.
7. 如果刷牙后你还不放心,不妨用一点牙菌斑显露片,可以帮助你找到没刷干净的地方。
There is good evidence that a small-headed counter oscillating electric toothbrush helps in removing dental plaque but they must be used correctly and your dentist or hygienist will advise.
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that covers your teeth and gums. It develops c**tantly and you clean it off every day when you brush your teeth. Certain harmful oral bacteria feed on the sugars you eat to create acids that destroy the tooth enamel.
Cavities are a bacterial infection created by acids, that cause your teeth to experience a hole in them.
龋洞就是细菌侵蚀的表现,酸类物质会导致牙齿上逐渐出现孔洞。
The more sugar you eat, the more acid you will create in your mouth, and the more acidic attacks your teeth are exposed to, the higher the risk of developing tooth decay.