Brushing your teeth — Wellbeing, 4–6 years
Brushing removes the sticky film that can hurt teeth and gums. Wellbeing, 4–6 years.
What brushing does
A toothbrush sweeps away food bits and a sticky film called plaque from your teeth. Toothpaste helps clean them and can make the mouth feel fresh, but gentle brushing is what reaches the little spaces.
Why teeth need cleaning
Teeth meet food every day, and some germs use sugary leftovers to make acids. Those acids can make holes, called cavities, and sore gums; brushing was developed to remove the leftovers before they cause trouble.
A careful brush
Mia puts a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on her brush. She cleans the outside, inside and chewing tops of her teeth with small gentle circles, then brushes for about two minutes and spits, without swallowing the paste.
The quick scrub
It is tempting to scrub only the front teeth quickly because they are the ones you can see in a mirror. That feels finished, but food and plaque can stay behind teeth and on the chewing surfaces, so the hidden parts need gentle attention too.
Dentists and daily care
Brushing is useful at home, and a dentist also checks places that are hard to see or clean. The same idea helps when caring for braces or cleaning between teeth, but a grown-up or dentist should show you the right tools.
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