It's National Brush Day, the day after Halloween, and the time to unstick all that cavity-causing candy from your teeth and brush, brush, BRUSH! (& floss!)
Speaking of... how polished is your oral hygiene? When was the last time you thought about replacing your toothbrush, or how much toothpaste you should use?
Think you really know how to brush properly? Take our quiz and find out!
Click through the slides to answer just 6 short questions to see how brushed up on your oral care you are:
Which type of brush is most effective?
- A regular manual toothbrush
- An electric toothbrush
- Either one
Either one! They're both effective.
Both manual and power toothbrushes have what it takes to get the job done! Power brushes may be helpful for people who have trouble brushing on their own or are prone to more plaque buildup.
How often should you replace your toothbrush?
- When your dentist gives you a new one
- Every three to four months
- Once a year
Every three to four months
Yes we give you a new toothbrush at each visit, but make sure you are changing them between appointments, too. The bristles on your toothbrush wear out over time and a worn toothbrush won’t keep your teeth as clean.
Want an easy trick to remember to change your brush every 3-4 months? New season, new toothbrush!
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How much toothpaste should you use?
- The full length of the brush’s bristles
- The size of a pea
- The size of a grain of rice
A pea-sized amount.
Adults and children age 3 and older should brush with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Children younger than 3 should use a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice.
What kind of bristles should your brush have?
- Firm
- Medium
- Soft
Soft.
Always choose a soft-bristled brush. Firm or even medium-strength bristles may cause damage to your gums and enamel.
When brushing your teeth, don’t scrub vigorously - only brush hard enough to clean the film off your teeth. Your fluoride toothpaste will do the rest of the work.
Also, if you flossed before brushing (of course you did 'cause you're so smart right!?), that should have gotten a lot of the stuck bits in hard-to-reach places.
How often should you brush your teeth?
- Once a day
- Twice a day
- When you have bad breath
Twice a day.
You should brush your teeth twice a day, ideally when you wake up in the morning and again before going to bed at night (and remember what we just mentioned about flossing, that's right, you want to do that twice a day too - see, you're so smart!)
Floss first, then brush, 2x per day.
How long should you brush your teeth for?
- 30 seconds
- 2 minutes
- Until your teeth feel clean
2 minutes
Brush 2 minutes each time, twice a day for healthier teeth, good breath, fewer cavities, and to avoid painful dental problems.
Since Halloween was just last night and many of us are still in the mood, we found this video appropriate to help you kids focus on brushing their teeth. It's @ 2 mins long (hint for one of the answers in the quiz!) and it's a fun, silly, spooky song to help kids to continue brushing their teeth and get out all those icky cavity, plaque and gingivitis monsters from inside their mouths (and yours too no doubt!).
Speaking of helping your kids brush their teeth long enough (and not get bored), we put together a playlist of 2 minute videos (oops, another hint!) that you can choose each morning and night (yikes, another clue! geez, we're giving away the answers) to entertain your kids with a different video each time. From songs and raps, to action and mystery, there's something to keep kids up to age 7 (approx.) interested.
Of course a post about how to brush your teeth properly, wouldn't be complete without a video about How to Brush Your Teeth Properly. So here it is. It's an older style (as most dental-educational videos are), but the information is still accurate today.