Oral Health: Answer Key

Overview & requirementsAnswer Key

1. Define oral hygiene.

Good oral hygiene is:

• Brush twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste and spit but don’t rinse.
• Floss daily
• Gently clean your tongue
• Limit sugary/acidic foods to mealtimes
• Drink fluoridated water
• See your dentist regularly

2. At what age should oral hygiene begin? How? Why?

Oral hygiene starts as soon as the first tooth appears - (around six months).

Gently brush the surrounding teeth and gums with a soft child size brush. Use only water to clean.

• This helps prevent decay
• Sets good habits
• Foundation for adult teeth
• Oral health

3. What are the recommended foods for healthy teeth?

Focus on two main areas:

1. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Calcium-rich dairy, leafy greens like kale and proteins for strength: crunchy fruits like apples, pears, and vegetables like carrots, that clean teeth and boost saliva; and vitamin C sources like broccoli and peppers for gum health.
2. Drink plenty of fluoridated water as this helps to keep you hydrated and washes away bacteria. Also limit sugary/acidic foods.

4. Why do we have baby teeth?

We have baby teeth because they are essential for a child’s early development, acting as:

• Place holders for adult teeth
• Helping with proper speech
• Enabling chewing of solid foods before the jaw is big enough for permanent teeth.

5. What are the different kinds of teeth? Describe the function of each.

TEETH NAME	TEETH FUNCTION
Incisors	Biting and cutting food with their sharp thin edges, like a pair of scissors.
Canines	Tearing and ripping tough foods with their single, sharp, pointed surface.
Premolars	Crushing and grinding food, acting as transitional teeth between the front and back teeth.
Molars	Grinding and chewing food thoroughly with their large, flat surfaces and multiple cusps, preparing it for swallowing.

6. How are cavities formed?

Cavities form when bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars and starches from food, producing acids that wear away tooth enamel, the hard outer layer. This acid attack creates tiny weak spots and with repeated exposer, a hole develops, eventually reaching deeper layers like the dentin, causing pain and potential infection. This is why brushing your teeth is so important!

7. Why should fluoridated toothpaste be used?

It should be used because it helps remove food, plaque, and bacteria from your teeth. It also helps prevent gum disease, freshens breath and can help to whiten teeth, making brushing far more effective than just water alone. It also hardens enamel to protect against decay.

8. What damage can be caused by bad brushing?

Damage caused by bad brushing include:

• Gum recession
• Enamel erosion
• Tooth sensitivity
• Cavities
• Bad breath and progress to bad gum disease
• Loss of a tooth
• And even systemic health issues like heart disease

9. What are disclosing tablets/solution and where can you buy it?

Disclosing tablets or solution is an oral hygiene product containing harmless dye that stains invisible dental plaque on your teeth revealing missed spots and helping you improve your brushing and flossing technique. You can purchase these from most pharmacies including - Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, Chemist Direct, or order online.

10. Demonstrate the correct way to:

10a. Apply disclosing tablet or solution

10b. Brush your teeth

10c. Use dental floss or dental floss picks

11. Find two verses in the Bible about teeth and explain to your leader what these verses mean. Find two texts in the Bible that mention the word tooth and explain to your leader what these texts mean.

Teeth – Genesis 49:12, Job 19:20, Psalms 3:7, Proverbs 10:26, Amos 4:6

Job 19:20

• “My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.”
• If we read from Job 19:14-26- we see that Job is feeling forsaken by his family, by his friends and by his community. He is feeling like he has narrowly escaped death (escaped it by the skin of his teeth). Take note of verse 25 and 26. Despite all this bad happening to him, he still trusts God and knows that God lives and that he will see God. What an example for each of us! We need to trust God despite what is happening around us and have the confidence that we too will see God at the second coming too!

Proverbs 10:26

• “As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him.”
• The whole chapter of proverbs 10 is filled with wise sayings of Solomon that are still relevant today. Vinegar can put your teeth on edge. Smoke in your eyes makes them hurt. A lazy man that has been given a task and does not do it can put your teeth on edge or give you pain or grief. Instead, be diligent and strive hard to do the task that has been given you and God will bless your effort.

Tooth – Exodus 121:24, Proverbs 25:19, Matthew 5:38

Proverbs 25:19

• “Confidence is an unfaithful man in time of trouble, Is like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint.”
• Being overconfident and not relying on God, will cause you to make mistakes which will end up giving you pain and trouble like a bad tooth ache or a foot out of joint.

Matthew 5:38, 39

• “You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right check, turn the other to him also.”
• This text is talking about going the second mile in trying to make things right. This does not mean that we let ourselves or our body to be continually abused by somebody. Instead, we are to represent a Christ like character in dealing with the offender and if they will not stop their bad behaviour then we are to seek help (call someone) and find a safe place and pray.

12. Evaluate the role of fluoride in oral health care.

Fluoride plays an important role in oral health care in Australia by helping to prevent dental caries and improve overall dental health. It strengthens tooth enamel, making teeth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and dietary sugars. Fluoride also promotes remineralisation, allowing early stages of tooth decay to be repaired before cavities develop. In Australia, fluoride is commonly provided through fluoridated drinking water, toothpaste, mouth rinses, and professional dental treatments. Community water fluoridation has been associated with significant reductions in tooth decay, particularly among children and disadvantaged populations, and is considered a cost-effective public health measure.

However, excessive fluoride exposure can lead to dental fluorosis, especially in young children who ingest too much fluoride while teeth are developing. Concerns have also been raised about individual choice regarding water fluoridation. Despite these concerns, Australian health authorities generally conclude that the benefits of fluoride in reducing tooth decay outweigh the risks when it is used at recommended levels, making it a key component of oral health promotion.

References

• Australian Union Oral Health Honor

Adapted from AY Honors/Oral Health/Answer Key on the Pathfinder Wiki, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. See the original page's history for its authors.
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