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 spotlight¹ on oral hygiene².

我们从幼时就开始培养刷牙的习惯，但最近却有报道称用牙线剔牙纯属浪费时间，这也引发了人们对口腔卫生问题的关注。

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?

但是在有关牙线洁牙无用的报道出来后，人们开始关注口腔卫生问题，但究竟哪些是我们应该做的，又有哪些习惯是我们应该摒弃的？

For example, how many of us know how long we SHOULD brush or teeth for and how often? And what are we doing wrong?

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 spoke³ to the British Dental Association’s scientific adviser⁴, Professor Damien Walmsley, who kindly⁵ put together this definitive⁶ list of "dos and don'ts."

镜报》网站采访了英国牙科协会的科学顾问——达米恩•沃姆斯利教授，他为我们整理出了一份注意事项的清单。

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 plaque⁷, limit the frequency, and amount of sugary food and drinks consumed in your diet, and see the dentist regularly.

“预防蛀牙的最好办法就是一天用含氟牙膏刷两次牙，因为含氟的牙膏可以帮助去除牙菌斑，除此以外还需要控制含糖饮食的次数和摄入量，并定期看牙医。”

Don'ts 该避免的事：

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. Rinse⁸ the mouth after brushing – fluoride helps to prevent, control and even stop tooth decay – but rinsing⁹ the mouth out dilutes¹⁰ the concentration of fluoride, so SPIT, don’t rinse.

2. 刷牙后不要使劲漱口。氟化物能预防、控制甚至让龋洞停止进一步发展，但使劲漱口会稀释氟化物，所以直接吐出来就好了。

3. Brush too soon after eating – as enamel¹¹ on teeth is softened¹² after eating especially with sugary foods – it’s best to wait an hour before brushing which allows the tooth to harden up more.

3. 进食后切勿立马刷牙。进食后——尤其是吃了甜食后——牙釉质会软化，所以最好过一个小时等待牙釉质恢复后再刷牙。

4. Use a hard bristle¹³ 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 bristles¹⁴ 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 restorations.

6. 牙齿每一面都要清洁到，包括牙齿外面、里面和咀嚼面，别忘了刷难以够到的后槽牙和包括填充物和牙冠在内的修复牙体周围。

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.

如果你的牙齿间有缝隙，那最好用牙间刷或者单簇牙刷来刷牙缝。如果牙间缝隙很小容不下这种牙刷的话，可以使用牙线或洁牙带。

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.

很多研究证据表明使用小头反震荡电动牙刷有助于去除牙菌斑，但使用方式要正确并遵循牙医或牙科保健员的建议。

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.

牙菌斑是覆盖在牙齿和牙龈上的一层顽固细菌，并会不断增长，你需要在每天刷牙时清除掉这些菌斑。你摄入的糖分会“滋养”一些有害的口腔细菌，并产生有害牙釉质的酸类物质。

Cavities are a bacterial¹⁵ 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.

你摄入的糖越多，你口腔里产生的酸类物质也就越多，牙齿也会随之遭受更严重的酸性侵蚀，造成蛀牙的几率也会更大。