Keeping a healthy set of teeth sounds simple enough; if you brush twice a day and floss as well – not to mention regularly seeing your dentist – that really is as good a start as you’d want. The thing is, you may need to know a thing or two extra to be complete on top of your dental health. It’s not like dental health is a hard thing to do; quite the opposite. But if you give this quiz a go, you might see how much you and your kids know about keeping your teeth their brightest, whitest, and healthiest.

1. How many times a day should you brush and floss your teeth to prevent gum disease and cavities?
2. Is it enough to brush the front side of the teeth??
3. How many teeth do adults have?
4. How often should you see your dentist for check-ups and cleanings?
5. If your parents lost all their teeth to tooth decay or gum disease, does this mean you will as well?
6. True or false: fruit juice is healthy and can’t harm your teeth?
7. Halitosis is a medical term for what?
8. How old will you be when you lose your last baby tooth?
9. True or false: Milk or juice are OK to drink before bed
10. How long should it take you to brush your teeth? 

Answers

1. Twice! Once in the morning when you get up, and once before bed.
2. You should remember to brush the front, back, and top surfaces of all your teeth.
3. Without wisdom teeth, adults have 28 teeth.( 28+ 4 wisdom teeth)
4. We recommend that you visit for a check-up and clean every six months. The interval can sometimes be 4 months or 12 months based on your risk profile.
5. Yes, some dental issues can run in the family. But taking proper care of your teeth will help prevent them from repeating on you.
6. False. Pure fruit juice is full of vitamins, but it’s also full of sugar. Children shouldn’t drink fruit juice until they are at least 6 months old. Children under 7 should be limited to the amount of juice they drink each day.
7. Bad breath. Wearing masks has made people more aware of their breath and at the same time protectected others from their bad breath
8. Most children lose their last baby tooth around the age of 12.
9. False. Milk or juice is best consumed during the day. If you drink either before bed, it increases the risk of developing cavities. Stick to water instead.
10. Brushing for 2-3 minutes should give you adequate time to focus on each tooth. 

By Dr Gautam Herle