How to Brush Your Teeth

Female Host: From a very young age, we all learn how to keep our pearly whites clean. But, sometimes as a doubt, we need a little brushing up on our tooth brush in fact. We visited kids at practice and play and put them to the test, and then did the same to some moms. See who comes out on top and how you stack up? Okay, question number one, how long should you brush your teeth? Speaker: One minute. Speaker: Two minutes Speaker: 30 seconds. Female speaker: For two minutes Female speaker: Two minutes. Female speaker: I think this just be 20 minutes or certain more on top and then the bottom. Female Host: For the answer, we headed to the dentist's office to see Dr. Scott Veal. Dr. Scott Veal: You should brush your teeth for at least two minutes. Female Speaker: That's actually better than -- Female Host: And exactly how should you brush? Female Speaker: I learned up like a plain, down like the rain, across like a train. Female Host: Dentist say, forget plains and trains. Think. Dr. Scott Veal: Should use circular motions, when you brush your teeth. Make sure you get all of the surfaces, even the ones way and back, there is other ones that people miss a lot. Female Host: Okay, Sink your teeth into this one. True or false? A soft bristled Brush is better than a hard one. Speaker: True. Female Host: Soft or hard? Speaker: Hard, because hard will get all the less over food stuck in your teeth. Female Speaker: You're really quite certain about this, that the soft brush is better. Well then -- Dr. Scott Veal: The hard tooth brush and the medium tooth brush can actually cause damage to the structures of the tooth. It can actually cause, remove all the enamel. It can cause your gums to recede. Female Host: Storming along on to our next question. What's the best way to clean and store your tooth brush? A. Soak it in a anti-bacterial mouth wash. B. Put it in a dishwasher. c. Rinse with tap water. D. Store in a covered container. Speaker: Rinse with tap water. Speaker: Rinse with mouth wash. Speaker: Put it in a covered container. Female Speaker: Put it on a friend. Dr. Scott Veal: The answer is C, Rinse with tap water and leave it to air to dry. Speaker: Yeah, I was right. Dr. Scott Veal: If you put it in a dark place with a moisty brush, bacteria love those kind of areas and bacteria will thrive. Female Host: A dishwasher can damage your tooth brush and Dr. Veal sees no benefit to soaking the brush in mouth wash. When you leave it out to dry, just make sure it doesn't touch another brush. Speaker: I'm brush my teeth and I rinse it out with tap water, then I put back in the cup. Female host: Rolling down to question number four. True or false? Electric tooth brushes are more effective than manual ones. Female Speaker: I would think they would be, partly because, they are easier and therefore you brush longer. Speaker: False, true, false. Speaker: True, True. Female Speaker: I will say true. Female Speaker: I say true. Female Speaker: I was inclined to say false. But I will go with that. Dr. Scott Veal: The answer is false. What is most important is the operator. If you have a manual tooth brush or an electric tooth brush, if you use it correctly and brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes then your teeth should be optimally clean. Female Host: Chew on this last question. When should you replace your tooth brush? Speaker: Three months. Speaker: Three months. Speaker: Two months. Speaker: Once a year. Speaker: Your toothbrush will be green by that. Female speaker: I used to think about putting on a shopping list. Frankly. Female Host: You might want to jot down a remainder to put it on the list, because, Dr. Veal says to change that toothbrush every two to three months. Dr. Scott Veal: As the bristles, become worn and begin display, they will not clean your teeth as well. Female Host: So, how did you like our quiz? Speaker: It was easy. It is easy. Female Host: Who had more wisdom about teeth, depends on who you ask? Speaker: I think the parents are better, because, they live longer and they know more than we do. Female Speaker: I would hope that my kids are paying attention at school and to their Dentist and me. So may be, they would get, they would know better. Female Host: And from the mouths of babes, the message to us all. Speakers: Take good care of your teeth.