Our Dental Blog

An Oral Hygiene Quiz

May 25, 2018
women threading teeth

Have you ever been told during a dental cleaning that you may be missing a spot? Learning that your oral hygiene game is not perfect can be frustrating. It can be especially frustrating if you feel like you are doing everything you should be doing to keep up with your oral hygiene. It is not uncommon for people to miss certain areas of their mouth during brushing and flossing. Some people simply brush for too short of time. Any of these issues can contribute to a buildup of plaque, tartar, and bacteria in your smile. This quiz is designed for you to test your own knowledge of what the recommended techniques, frequency, and duration of oral hygiene. 

Questions

  1. True/False: I should brush my teeth no more than twice a day.
  2. True/False: I should brush my teeth for at least two minutes per session.
  3. True/False: Flossing is optional.

Answers

  1. False. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day. Because bacterial plaque forms your teeth throughout the day, and it can calcify into cavity-causing tartar in under 24 hours, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing your teeth twice a day. You should at least brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to sleep at night.
  2. True. Many adults do not come close to the ADA-recommended two minutes. Two minutes allows for you to brush each surface of every tooth. Oft-neglected surfaces of teeth include the sides facing the tongue and the surfaces in the back of the smile. Taking the whole two minutes to brush gives you a better opportunity to thoroughly clean all the areas of your mouth. Some electric toothbrushes have timers, but using one on your phone can work, too.
  3. False. The ADA recommends that you floss at least once a day. Flossing gives you a chance to remove any leftover particles that are stuck between teeth and hard to remove by brushing alone. A water flosser can be used in place of traditional floss, but it is important to get between your teeth.

Did You Ace This Oral Hygiene Quiz?

Great oral hygiene is a key component to keeping your smile healthy. To schedule a consultation, call Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.