In our quest for the perfect pearly whites, our bathroom cabinets are stocked with whitening toothpastes, floss and mouthwashes.
為了追求一口珍珠般潔白無瑕的牙齒，我們的浴室柜里囤滿了美白牙膏、牙線和漱口水。

But when it comes to oral health, a top dentist has revealed our best intentions could in fact be potentially damaging to our teeth.
但是，就口腔健康而言，一位頂級牙醫告訴我們，我們良好的意愿事實上可能對牙齒有潛在危害。

Dr Tariq Idrees, dentist and owner of Carisbrook Dental Clinic in Manchester, said millions of people are unwittingly destroying their teeth with everyday habits, they think would be beneficial.
曼徹斯特卡里斯布魯克牙科診所的老板、牙醫塔里克?伊德萊斯博士說，數百萬的人都以為自己每天的習慣是有益的，卻在不知不覺中損害著牙齒。

He said electric toothbrushes can prove 'useless' if they are not used correctly, and you can harm your teeth by rinsing too soon with water after brushing, brushing too much, at the wrong times or in the wrong way.
他說如果不正確使用，電動牙刷就“沒什么用”，刷牙之后馬上用清水漱口、刷牙太用力、在錯誤的時間或以錯誤的方式刷牙，都有可能損傷牙齒。

Here, he reveals the ten things which you make think are good for your teeth but are not.
這里他列出你可能覺得有益于牙齒的十件事，但實則不然。

1. Electric toothbrushes
電動牙刷

Electric toothbrushes - yes, this may sound strange but if you are not using the right technique, they can be useless.
電動牙刷——是的，也許聽起來奇怪，但如果你方法不對，它們就沒什么作用。

With most electric toothbrushes you only need to touch the tooth with the bristles.
使用大多數的電動牙刷，你只需要把刷毛碰到牙齒就行了。

If you push too hard the bristles bend and are not effective.
如果你按壓太用力，刷毛彎曲，就沒效果了。

Take your electric toothbrush with you and ask your dental hygienist for a demonstration.
帶上你的電動牙刷，讓牙醫給你做下示范。

2. Whitening toothpastes
美白牙膏

Abrasive tooth pastes such as bicarbonate or whitening pastes.
那些含有碳酸氫鹽或美白成分等有研磨作用的牙膏。

They are abrasive and can wear your enamel away and in the long-term lead to sensitivity and darkening of your teeth as the enamel wears and the inner amber-coloured dentine becomes visible.
它們都有研磨作用，會磨損牙釉質，長此以往會導致牙齒敏感和發黑，因為牙釉質磨損會暴露出里面黃褐色的牙質。

3. Rinsing too soon with water after brushing
刷牙過后馬上用清水漱口

We all use water to clean our teeth but swishing water in your mouth too soon after brushing washes away much of the fluoride with it and minimises your toothpaste's effectiveness.
我們都用水清潔牙齒，但一刷完牙就漱口，就會漱掉很多氟化物，極大降低牙膏的功效。

If you feel the need to rinse out your mouth after brushing, use a (non alcohol-based) mouthwash.
如果你刷牙之后需要漱口，就用（不含酒精的）漱口水吧。

You shouldn't eat or drink for at least half an hour after brushing your teeth.
刷完牙之后至少半小時之內不能進食或喝水。

4. Brushing your teeth too hard
刷牙太用力

Poor tooth brushing techniques can harm your teeth - if you really scrub your teeth too hard, you will wear the sides of your teeth down, leaving V-shaped defects near the gum margins.
不恰當的刷牙方法會損害牙齒，如果你真的太用力刷牙，就會磨損牙齒邊緣，在牙齦緣附近形成V字形缺口。

Also, don't always start brushing the same place.
而且，不要總是從同一個地方開始刷牙。

If you always start on the top right side, that section is going to get the most attention.
如果你總是從右上方開始刷，那個地方就得到最多關注。

Most people get bored as they are brushing, so the areas covered last get the least attention.
大多數人刷著刷著就厭煩了，所以最后刷到的區域得到的關注最少。

Mix-up your brushing technique so all areas are covered adequately.
多使用一些刷牙技巧，這樣所有的區域都能得到充分清潔。

You should brush in a circular motion - rather than from side to side.
你應該以劃圓圈的方式刷牙——而不是從一端刷到另一端。

5. Mouthwash
漱口水

Alcohol-based mouth washes can be harsh and long-term use has been linked to development of oral cancers.
含酒精的漱口水刺激性較強，長期使用有患口腔癌的風險。

Studies have found that excessive use - three times a day - presents a health risk.
研究發現過度使用漱口水——一天三次，也對健康不利。

6. Flossing
牙線

Again the wrong technique such as a sawing motion can cause damage and recession of the gums.
再強調一次，錯誤的方法，比如拉鋸式的動作，會導致牙齒損傷和牙齦萎縮。

You should slide the floss gently up-and-down between your teeth.
你應該輕輕地在牙縫處上下滑動牙線。

7. Brushing at the wrong times and too much
刷牙時間不當且刷牙太頻繁

This can cause damage as well. Do not brush straight after eating citrus/acidic fruits or after wine.
這也能引起損傷。不要一吃完柑橘類（酸性）水果或喝酒后就刷牙。

The tooth enamel is softened by the acid and brushing straight after will wear the teeth down.
酸性物質會軟化牙釉質，立即刷牙會磨損牙齒。

Instead wait for 30 minutes for the acids to neutralise before brushing or even use a fluoride mouthwash to help neutralise the acid.
你應該等30分鐘讓酸性物質中和后再刷牙，或使用含氟的漱口水來中和酸性物質。

8. Holistic toothpastes
全效牙膏

They are becoming more and more popular.
它們現在越來越受歡迎了。

However, I see patients using these suddenly developing tooth decay or gum issues.
然而，我看到使用這種牙膏的病人在突然之間就出現了牙齒退化或牙齦問題。

Unfortunately they tend to have little science behind them. If a toothpaste is fluoride free I would not recommend it.
不幸的是，它們往往沒有科學依據作支撐。如果牙膏不含氟我是不會推薦的。

Fluoride has been proven without doubt to prevent tooth decay.
氟已被確鑿證實可以預防蛀牙。

A holistic toothpaste without fluoride may help with gum disease prevention but not tooth decay.
不含氟的全效牙膏也許有助于預防牙齦疾病，但不能預防蛀牙。

9. Hard toothbrushes
牙刷太硬

Hard toothbrushes can cause excessive wear and recession of the gums.
刷毛硬的牙刷會引起牙齦過度磨損和萎縮。

10. Brushing your teeth for 45 seconds
只刷45秒

Surveys show that as many 43 percent of patients brush their teeth for just 45 seconds.
調查顯示，多達43%的牙病患者刷牙只刷45秒。

This is not long enough to give them a proper clean.
這個時間太短，不足以做充分的清潔。

You should clean your teeth for at least two minutes.
你的刷牙時間應該至少是兩分鐘。

Vocabulary

floss: 牙線
bristle: 短而硬的毛
abrasive: 有研磨作用的
bicarbonate: 碳酸氫鹽
enamel: （牙齒的）釉質
amber: 黃褐色，琥珀色
dentine: 牙質
swish: 嗖嗖地快速移動
fluoride: 氟化物
tooth decay: 蛀牙

英文來源：每日郵報
譯者：實習生孫美真
審校&編輯：丹妮