It's a habit which has been drummed into us from an early age, but the recent news about flossing your teeth could be a waste of time has put the spotlight on oral hygiene.

我们从幼时就开始培养刷牙的习惯，但最近却有报道称用牙线剔牙纯属浪费时间，这也引发了人们对口腔卫生问题的关注。

When it comes to looking after our teeth, there are certain pieces of wisdom which we've incorporated into our routines.

说起清洁牙齿，其实我们身边存在很多种日常洁牙的方法。

But in the wake of the news about flossing, when it comes to oral hygiene, how much does your average person know about what we should be doing - and which habits do we need to ditch?

但是在有关牙线洁牙无用的报道出来后，人们开始关注口腔卫生问题，但究竟哪些是我们应该做的，又有哪些习惯是我们应该摒弃的？

For example, how many of us know how long we SHOULD brush or teeth for and how often? And what are we doing wrong?

还有一些问题比如，刷牙应该刷多久？多久应该刷一次？我们的哪些行为是错的呢？

MirrorOnline spoke to the British Dental Association’s scientific adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, who kindly put together this definitive list of "dos and don'ts."

《镜报》网站采访了英国牙科协会的科学顾问——达米恩•沃姆斯利教授，他为我们整理出了一份注意事项的清单。

How often?

多久刷一次牙？

"The best way to prevent tooth decay is to brush teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque, limit the frequency, and amount of sugary food and drinks consumed in your diet, and see the dentist regularly.

“预防蛀牙的最好办法就是一天用含氟牙膏刷两次牙，因为含氟的牙膏可以帮助去除牙菌斑，除此以外还需要控制含糖饮食的次数和摄入量，并定期看牙医。”