You might not think so (or enjoy doing it!) but cleaning our teeth is really important!

Professor Hallux is investigating why in his latest podcast series, Professor Hallux’s Dental Depositary…

You probably know that food and drink you eat encourages germs called bacteria to grow in our mouths and on your teeth.

Left to their own devices, this bacteria can form a soft yellow substance on your teeth. This is called plaque – and plaque can damage the surface of your teeth, eating away at the enamel, causing decay and toothache!

Toothache sucks, right? But it’s not just your teeth that can suffer if you don’t scrub your gnashers…

There are things a lot worse than toothache, like gum disease!

So, how can we stop these things from happening? Luckily, it’s actually pretty easy…

You should brush your teeth after breakfast and after supper before you go to bed.

2 minutes, twice a day. To help make sure you’re giving each tooth the best clean possible, most electric toothbrushes have a two minute timer.

You need to remember to clean every part of your teeth – so that’s brushing the inside surfaces, the outside surfaces, the chewing surfaces and not forgetting the gaps between your teeth.

Click here for more from Professor Hallux’s Dental Depositary!

It’s a good idea to brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth, starting at the gum line. This means you can get both the bottom of the gum and your tooth covered, where plaque normally collects.

You should brush using a gentle circular motion, moving your brush up and down each tooth.

What should you do after brushing? Spit out any toothpaste in your mouth but don’t rinse!

It can be a good idea to use mouthwash at a different time of the day to when you brush your teeth, so say use a mouthwash after lunch!

But remember, don’t eat or drink for 30 minutes after using a fluoride mouthwash or otherwise the benefits are washed away.

Click here for more from Professor Hallux’s Dental Depositary!

Flossing can also be helpful. If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 40% of your tooth!

Flossing isn’t just for dislodging food wedged between your teeth though.

Regular flossing can also help reduce the risk of gum disease and bad breath by removing plaque that forms along the gum line. There are loads of ways to floss – from dental tape to interdental brushes!

Click here for more from Professor Hallux’s Dental Depositary!

Brush for no less than two minutes! The average person only does about 70 seconds!
Hold your toothbrush at a 45º degree angle so that it gets both the bottom of the tooth and the gum line.
It’s important to not forget to brush as plaque builds up every 12 hours.
Prevention is better than cure – always clean your teeth!

If you liked this, you’ll love Professor Hallux’s Body Podcast for Kids! It’s packed full of amazing stuff about the human body and has loads more info about your gnashers!

You can subscribe to the Professor Hallux podcast in Google or Apple Podcasts.

Just click the link of your podcast provider below – and don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss an episode!