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A2 Reading • 12 Minutes

Healthy Smiles: NHS Advice

Unit: Teeth & Dental Health

📌 How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For Teachers

• Give students 5 minutes to read the article and check the hard words.
• Spend 7 minutes answering the 8 questions and checking answers together.

🎓 For Learners

• First, read the short article and check the word meanings below it.
• Next, answer the 8 questions from Question 1 to Question 8.

📰 School Website Article: Healthy Smiles

NHS Guidelines

The NHS says we clean our teeth every day. The NHS says you brush your teeth twice a day for about 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride keeps teeth strong. After brushing, the NHS says you spit out extra toothpaste and do not rinse your mouth straight away. Water washes fluoride away. The NHS says you floss every day or use a small brush to take away food between your teeth. The NHS says children need help until they are at least 7 years old. The NHS says children under 3 use a smear of toothpaste. The NHS says children aged 3 to 6 use a pea-sized blob.

🔤 Word Helper: Learn the Hard Words

🛡️ fluoride

something in toothpaste that keeps teeth strong

🧵 floss

use a thin thread to clean between your teeth

🤏 smear

a very small amount of toothpaste

🫛 pea-sized

a small blob as big as a green pea

Example

Brush your teeth after eating.

✏️ Practice Exercises (Questions 1 – 8)

Answer the questions based on the NHS advice article above.

True or False: The NHS says you should brush your teeth three times a day.

____ True ____ False

True or False: The NHS says you should spit out extra toothpaste after brushing.

____ True ____ False

What does fluoride do according to the article?

____ a. Washes your mouth ____ b. Keeps teeth strong ____ c. Takes away food between teeth

Why should you NOT rinse your mouth with water straight away after brushing?

____ a. Water washes fluoride away ____ b. Water makes your teeth weak ____ c. Water cleans your toothbrush

Match each cleaning item to its job according to the NHS:

Item / Action

Take away food between teeth

Keep teeth strong

Floss or small brush

____Take away food between teeth ____Keep teeth strong

Fluoride toothpaste

____Take away food between teeth ____Keep teeth strong

Match the age of children to the correct toothpaste amount:

Age Group

A smear of toothpaste

A pea-sized blob

Children under 3

____A smear of toothpaste ____A pea-sized blob

Children aged 3 to 6

____A smear of toothpaste ____A pea-sized blob

Until what age do children need help or someone to watch them when brushing?

____ (Type your answer...)

Write a number.

What happens if you rinse your mouth with water right after brushing?

____ (Type your answer...)

Write a short sentence.

Reading: NHS Teeth Cleaning Guidelines

Healthy Smiles: NHS Advice

📌 How to use this lesson

📰 School Website Article: Healthy Smiles

🔤 Word Helper: Learn the Hard Words

✏️ Practice Exercises (Questions 1 – 8)

True or False: The NHS says you should brush your teeth three times a day.

True or False: The NHS says you should spit out extra toothpaste after brushing.

What does fluoride do according to the article?

Why should you NOT rinse your mouth with water straight away after brushing?

Match each cleaning item to its job according to the NHS:

Match the age of children to the correct toothpaste amount:

Until what age do children need help or someone to watch them when brushing?

What happens if you rinse your mouth with water right after brushing?

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