When it comes to looking after our teeth, there are certain pieces of wisdom which we've incorporated into our routines.
說起清潔牙齒，其實我們身邊存在很多種日常潔牙的方法。

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?
但是在有關牙線潔牙無用的報道出來后，人們開始關注口腔衛生問題，但究竟哪些是我們應該做的，又有哪些習慣是我們應該摒棄的？

For example, how many of us know how long we SHOULD brush or teeth for and how often? And what are we doing wrong?
還有一些問題比如，刷牙應該刷多久？多久應該刷一次？我們的哪些行為是錯的呢？

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."
《鏡報》網站采訪了英國牙科協會的科學顧問——達米恩?沃姆斯利教授，他為我們整理出了一份注意事項的清單。

How often? 多久刷一次牙？

"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 consumed in your diet, and see the dentist regularly.
“預防蛀牙的最好辦法就是一天用含氟牙膏刷兩次牙，因為含氟的牙膏可以幫助去除牙菌斑，除此以外還需要控制含糖飲食的次數和攝入量，并定期看牙醫。”

Don'ts 該避免的事：

1. Brush for long enough – research indicates that people only brush for 45 seconds
1. 刷牙時間不要太短。研究發現很多人刷牙只刷45秒左右。

2. Rinse the mouth after brushing – fluoride helps to prevent, control and even stop tooth decay – but rinsing the mouth out dilutes the concentration of fluoride, so SPIT, don’t rinse.
2. 刷牙后不要使勁漱口。氟化物能預防、控制甚至讓齲洞停止進一步發展，但使勁漱口會稀釋氟化物，所以直接吐出來就好了。

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.
3. 進食后切勿立馬刷牙。進食后——尤其是吃了甜食后——牙釉質會軟化，所以最好過一個小時等待牙釉質恢復后再刷牙。

4. Use a hard bristle toothbrush as this can damage the soft tissues in the gums.
4. 別用硬毛牙刷。硬毛牙刷會傷害牙齦組織。

5. Don't brush too hard – the bristles should lightly sweep the tooth.
5. 刷牙不要太使勁。刷毛應該輕輕掃過牙齒。

Dos 應該做的事：

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兩次，每次刷兩分鐘。

2. Brush last thing at night and at least on one other occasion
2. 臨睡前再刷牙。

3. Use a small headed toothbrush with medium bristles.
3. 最好用中等硬度刷毛的小頭牙刷。

4. Put a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste on your toothbrush.
4. 只需要擠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. 刷牙齒之外也要沿著牙齦線刷一下。

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 restorations.
6. 牙齒每一面都要清潔到，包括牙齒外面、里面和咀嚼面，別忘了刷難以夠到的后槽牙和包括填充物和牙冠在內的修復牙體周圍。

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.
如果你的牙齒間有縫隙，那最好用牙間刷或者單簇牙刷來刷牙縫。如果牙間縫隙很小容不下這種牙刷的話，可以使用牙線或潔牙帶。

7. If you are unsure about the effectiveness of brushing, use disclosing tablets after brushing to highlight any areas you may have missed.
7. 如果刷牙后你還不放心，不妨用一點牙菌斑顯露片，可以幫助你找到沒刷干凈的地方。

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.
很多研究證據表明使用小頭反震蕩電動牙刷有助于去除牙菌斑，但使用方式要正確并遵循牙醫或牙科保健員的建議。

Plaque 牙菌斑

Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that covers your teeth and gums. It develops constantly 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.
牙菌斑是覆蓋在牙齒和牙齦上的一層頑固細菌，并會不斷增長，你需要在每天刷牙時清除掉這些菌斑。你攝入的糖分會“滋養”一些有害的口腔細菌，并產生有害牙釉質的酸類物質。

Cavities are a bacterial infection created by acids, that cause your teeth to experience a hole in them.
齲洞就是細菌侵蝕的表現，酸類物質會導致牙齒上逐漸出現孔洞。

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.
你攝入的糖越多，你口腔里產生的酸類物質也就越多，牙齒也會隨之遭受更嚴重的酸性侵蝕，造成蛀牙的幾率也會更大。

英文來源：鏡報
翻譯：趙雪瑩（中國日報網愛新聞iNews譯者）
審校&編輯：丹妮