Grade by Grade
D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

Healthy Teeth: Brushing, Flossing and the Dentist

D2.4 A1.3About 30 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can brush my teeth the right way, two times a day for two minutes.
  • I can explain why flossing and going to the dentist for checkups are important.
  • I can choose snacks and drinks that are kind to my teeth.

Words to know

oral health
Taking care of your mouth, teeth, gums and tongue.
plaque
A sticky, clear layer of germs that grows on your teeth. Brushing and flossing remove it.
cavity
A hole in a tooth caused by tooth decay.
fluoride
Something added to toothpaste (and to the tap water in many towns) that helps make teeth strong.
floss
A thin string you slide between your teeth to clean where a toothbrush can't reach.
dental hygienist
A health care helper who cleans your teeth and teaches you how to care for them.
dentist
A doctor for your teeth and mouth.

Smile!

You use your teeth to bite apples, chew your food and talk clearly. Your teeth also help you smile!

Right now you are probably losing baby teeth. Kids have 20 baby teeth. Adults can have up to 32 adult teeth. Your adult teeth have to last your whole life, so it is important to take care of them now.

Plaque and cavities

Plaque is a sticky layer of germs that grows on your teeth every day. When you eat sugary foods, the germs in plaque make acid. The acid can make holes in your teeth called cavities. Cavities can hurt!

The good news: brushing and flossing remove plaque.

A child's toothbrush with toothpaste, a tube of toothpaste, a glass of water and dental floss on a bathroom sink.
A toothbrush and floss are your tools for removing plaque. Use a pea-sized bit of toothpaste and brush twice a day. AI-generated image
germs in plaque+ sugargerms makeacidacid makes a hole:a cavityBrush 2 times a day for 2 minutesand floss once a day to remove plaque.
How a cavity happens: germs in plaque use sugar to make acid, and acid makes a hole. Brushing and flossing remove the plaque before that happens.
a healthy toothsoft brush2 times a day2 minutespea-sized toothpastefloss once a daysee the dentist
Healthy teeth habits: brush twice a day for two minutes with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, floss once a day, and visit the dentist.
HabitHowWhy
Brush 🪥Two times a day (morning and before bed), for two minutes. Use a soft brush and a pea-sized bit of fluoride toothpaste. Brush the fronts, backs and tops of every tooth with small circles. Brush your tongue too. Spit, don't swallow.Removes plaque and food. Fluoride makes teeth strong.
Floss 🧵Once a day. Slide the floss gently between each pair of teeth. A grown-up can help.Cleans between teeth, where the brush can't reach.
Dentist checkup 🦷Visit regularly, as often as your dentist suggests.The dentist checks for cavities. A dental hygienist cleans your teeth.
Tooth-friendly food 🥕Drink water. Choose snacks like vegetables, cheese and fruit. Limit sticky, sugary foods and drinks.Less sugar means less acid on your teeth.
Four habits for a healthy mouth

Keep going!

Brushing every day takes practice and patience. Some nights you will be tired. Keep going anyway! Use a two-minute song or a timer to help. Your grown-up should still check your brushing. Most kids need help to brush and floss well until they are older.

Also: get a new toothbrush every 3 or 4 months, or when the bristles get bent. And wear a mouthguard for sports like hockey to protect your teeth.

Worked example

Let's brush together

Let's go through the brushing steps the right way.

  1. Put a pea-sized bit of fluoride toothpaste on a soft toothbrush.
  2. Start at the top. Brush the outside of each tooth with small circles.
  3. Brush the inside of each tooth (the side near your tongue).
  4. Brush the tops where you chew, going back and forth.
  5. Do the bottom teeth the same way. Keep going for two minutes.
  6. Gently brush your tongue. Then spit out the toothpaste.

Every surface of every tooth gets clean. Two times a day, two minutes each time!

Worked example

Let's pick a tooth-friendly snack

After school, Liam can choose sticky gummy candies and pop, or cheese, apple slices and water. Which is kinder to his teeth? Why?

  1. Gummy candies are sugary and sticky. They stay on teeth for a long time.
  2. Pop is a sugary drink that washes sugar over every tooth.
  3. Cheese, apples and water are not sticky and have no added sugar. Water rinses the teeth.

Cheese, apple slices and water are kinder to Liam's teeth. Less sugar means fewer cavities.

Just for fun

What does a dentist call the X-ray pictures of your teeth?

Tooth pics!

Hands-on activity

Two-minute brushing chart

You need: paper, a pencil, a timer or a 2-minute song, and stickers or crayons.

  1. Make a chart with the 7 days of the week. Make two boxes for each day: morning and night.
  2. Every time you brush for two whole minutes, colour a box or add a sticker.
  3. Floss once a day with your grown-up and draw a small star.
  4. At the end of the week, count your boxes. Did you get 14?

Try this: chew a tooth-friendly snack, like an apple slice. Then look in the mirror. Bits of food stay on and between teeth. That's why we brush and floss!

Your turn

1

How many times a day should you brush your teeth?

2

How long should you brush each time?

3

What is plaque?

4

What is a cavity?

5

Why do we floss?

6

Name a snack that is kind to your teeth.

7

Who checks your teeth for cavities?

More practice: warm-up

1

How much toothpaste should you use?

2

How many baby teeth do kids have?

3

Should you swallow toothpaste?

4

Is water a tooth-friendly drink?

5

How often should you floss?

More practice: on your own

1

Why do sugary foods cause cavities?

2

Why is it important to take care of your adult teeth?

3

Name the three sides of each tooth you need to brush.

4

Your toothbrush bristles are bent and squished. What should you do?

5

Ben plays hockey. What should he wear to protect his teeth?

Challenge

1

Ava brushes only in the morning. Explain why brushing before bed matters too.

2

Make a plan to help you remember to brush for two minutes every time.

3

Why do people still go to the dentist even when their teeth don't hurt?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

How often should you brush your teeth?

2.

What is plaque?

3.

What does floss clean?

4.

Which snack is kindest to your teeth?

5.

How much toothpaste should a child use?

6.

Why go to the dentist for a checkup?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: The Grade 2 expectation asks students to demonstrate an understanding of and apply practices that contribute to the maintenance of good oral health (e.g., brushing, flossing, and going to the dentist regularly for a checkup).

What to know: Children have 20 primary (baby) teeth and usually start losing them around age 6. Brush twice a day for two minutes with a soft brush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste; floss once a day. Most children need an adult to help or check brushing and flossing for several more years. Replace the toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.

How to help at home:

  • Brush at the same time as your child, so it's a routine.
  • Use a timer, a song or a chart. Celebrate effort ("You kept going for the whole two minutes!").
  • Offer water between meals, and keep sweet or sticky foods to mealtimes.
  • Ask your dentist how often your child should have checkups. In Ontario, eligible children and youth may get free dental care through the Healthy Smiles Ontario program; your local public health unit can tell you more.

Common difficulties: brushing too fast, skipping the back teeth and insides, and finding flossing tricky (floss picks can help small hands).

This lesson also builds positive motivation and perseverance (A1.3): sticking with a daily habit.