Year 4 Science: Looking after your teeth and digestive system
Part of the Year 4 Science teeth and the digestive system chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Looking after your teeth and digestive system
Your teeth and digestive system work best when you look after them. Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste helps to protect them. Sugary food and drinks can cause tooth decay, so have them less often, and choose water to drink.
The table gives five simple habits that help.
| Habit | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Brush your teeth | twice a day, for two minutes, with fluoride toothpaste |
| Drink water | instead of sugary, fizzy drinks |
| Visit the dentist | for regular check-ups |
| Eat fruit and vegetables | and fibre, which help the digestive system |
| Keep moving | exercise helps the body, including the digestive system |
Key ideas
- Brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes.
- Use fluoride toothpaste to help keep your teeth strong.
- Sugary food and drinks can cause tooth decay.
- Water is the best drink for your teeth.
Method. Read the habit in the table.
- Read the table. Brush for two minutes.two minutes
- Write the number. So the answer is two minutes.2
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Two minutes is long enough to clean every tooth. ✓
Method. Read the table.
- Read the habit. The table says to drink water, not sugary, fizzy drinks.water
- Choose the drink. So water is the best choice for your teeth.water
- Write the answer. water
Check. Sugary drinks can cause tooth decay. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 5.5.
- Read the key idea. Fluoride toothpaste helps to keep teeth strong.fluoride
- Check the ingredient. The ingredient that helps the teeth is named in the toothpaste, so it is fluoride.named
- Write the answer. fluoride
Check. Fluoride helps to protect the tooth enamel. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: rinsing with water is not the same as brushing. Brushing removes the food that is left on the teeth, so brush properly.
Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, brush your teeth for two minutes, using a timer or a song. Brush the front, the back and the top of each tooth. Brush twice a day.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “How long did you brush? Did you brush the back teeth?” Help your child to brush for two minutes, and to visit the dentist for regular check-ups.
Exercise 5E Looking after your teeth and digestive system
Method. Read the habit in the table.
- Read the table. Brush your teeth twice a day.twice a day
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Twice a day is morning and night. ✓
Method. Read the habit in the table.
- Read the table. Brush your teeth for two minutes.two minutes
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Two minutes gives time to clean every tooth. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 5.5.
- Read the key idea. Sugary food and drinks can cause tooth decay.sugary
- Write the answer. sugary food
Check. Plain bread is not sugary. ✓
Method. Read the habit in the table.
- Read the table. Drink water instead of sugary, fizzy drinks.water
- Write the answer. water
Check. Water does not have sugar in it. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 5.5.
- Read the key idea. Fluoride toothpaste helps to protect the teeth.fluoride
- Write the answer. fluoride
Check. Fluoride helps to keep the teeth strong. ✓
Method. Think about the usual times for brushing.
- Think about the times. Brushing in the morning and at night keeps the teeth clean.morning and night
- Write the answer. night
Check. Brushing at night removes the sugar from the day. ✓
Method. Read the habit in the table.
- Read the table. Visit the dentist for regular check-ups.check-ups
- Write the answer. check-up
Check. Regular check-ups help to keep teeth healthy. ✓
Method. Read the table.
- Read the table. Fruit, vegetables, fibre and exercise help the digestive system.digestive system
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: eat fruit and vegetables, and fibre; keep moving; drink water.
Check. Any one of these habits helps. ✓
Method. Think about what brushing does.
- Think about brushing. Brushing removes food and plaque from the teeth; rinsing does not do this as well.removes
- Decide. So the friend is not right.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste is the habit in the table. ✓
Method. Think about a question with a clear answer.
- Think about the question. A survey question should be clear and have a number as the answer.number
- Write the question. Asking how many times a day gives a clear number to count.count
- Write the answer. Accept any clear question, such as: How many times a day do you brush your teeth?
Check. A clear question gives a result that can be counted. ✓
Method. Think about what sugar does to the teeth.
- Think about the sugar. Sugar left on the teeth can lead to tooth decay.tooth decay
- Write the reason. So sugary food should be eaten less often, and the teeth should be brushed.less often
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says sugar left on teeth can cause decay, so sugary food should be eaten less often.
Check. Less sugar and regular brushing protect the teeth. ✓