How is your Oral Health? Take the Quiz!

A quiz on Oral Health to help you learn the basics of dentistry.

Are you sure you know everything there is to know about taking care of your teeth?

Let’s go over some basic dental facts.

1. Putting your toothbrush under a cap is the best way to store it.
   • Yes 
   • No

2. Research has linked gum disease to: 
   • Heart disease 
   • Diabetes 
   • Pregnancy 
   • All of the above

3. What makes your mouth dry most of the time?
   • Taking medicine 
   • Getting older 
   • Smoking 
   • Head and neck radiation from cancer treatments

4. Because teeth plaque is hard, hard toothbrush bristles may work better than soft ones.
   • Yes 
   • No

5. The name for our first set of teeth is;
   • Baby teeth 
   • First teeth 
   • Milk teeth 
   • All or none of the above

6. You should use mouthwash; 
   • Before brushing 
   • After brushing 
   • Both 
   • Neither

7. In an average adult mouth, how many teeth are there, counting the wisdom teeth?
   • 18 
   • 30 
   • 32 
   • 34

8. How much of an average tooth is below the gum line?
   • 1/4 
   • 2/3 
   • 1/2 
   • 3/4

9. TMJ means pain in the jaw joint, right?
   • Yes 
   • No

10. How often should you change your toothbrush?
    • Once a month 
    • When a person is no longer sick 
    • Every two or three months 
    • Once a year

Answers:

1. b: Not true. Studies have shown that putting a cap on a toothbrush between uses makes more bugs grow. Because of this, bacteria will always be present; however, keeping the area damp actually helps bacteria grow.
2. d. All of the Above. The link between gum disease and heart disease has been shown in many studies. The exact link between cause and effect has not been proven yet, but there is a clear link between the two. Molecular signaling and inflammatory markers in people with gum disease seem to be the main causes of this link. People who have diabetes have higher levels of inflammation and take longer to heal. This could cause gum disease to get worse. Lastly, gingivitis during pregnancy is very common. People think that this link may have something to do with babies being born early and having low birth weight.
3. a. Medications. The truth is that getting older has nothing to do with less salivation. Tobacco and radiation can make you salivate less, but medicines are by far the most common cause of dry mouth.
4. b. False. First, hard bristle toothbrushes aren’t usually better than soft bristle toothbrushes. Not only can hard pointed toothbrushes hurt the gums, they can also damage the root surfaces that are showing. Plaque is not hard, which is the last lie in this question. When plaque doesn’t have enough minerals in it to turn into calculus (tartar), it is soft. Most of the time, a soft-bristled brush is enough to get rid of plaque.
5. d. All of the above. 
6. a. Mouthwash, in most circumstances, should be used before you brush your teeth. This doesn’t include people who use prescription mouthwashes or toothpaste without fluoride. Most mouthwashes have much smaller amounts of fluoride than regular toothpaste. Even though mouth rinses are good for you, it’s important not to wash away the benefits of fluoride toothpaste. The best way to do it is usually to use mouthwash and then brush your teeth without rinsing afterward.
7. c. About 32 teeth! A healthy child has 20 baby teeth.
8. b. 2/3rds. Even though the sizes of each tooth are a little different, this is a good rule of thumb. If you have recession or severe gum disease, this ratio can change.
9. b. False. The temporomandibular joint is what TMJ stands for. This is the joint in the jaw. People often say they have “TMJ” when they are in pain in their jaw. TMD, which stands for temporomandibular disease, is what they are talking about. Different types of problems with the jaw and other parts of the head and neck are in this group.
10. c. About every two to three months is a good rule. That being said, it’s important to know that the bristles won’t work as well if they start to spread out too much. This could also mean that you are brushing too hard. This might be bad for your gums and teeth.

We’re happy to have new patients and answer your questions at Coolbreeze Dentistry. You can call us at any time or get in touch with us for more information.