How Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Compares With Fluoride for Oral Health

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the article’s central purpose?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To compare an emerging alternative with an established dental ingredient
   2. To prove that fluoride toothpaste is unsafe for children
   3. To advertise a particular hydroxyapatite product
   4. To explain how gut microorganisms cause tooth decay
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To compare an emerging alternative with an established dental ingredient

   It compares emerging interest in hydroxyapatite with fluoride’s established role.

   The comparison is significant because fluoride toothpaste has occupied a central place in oral care for decades.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can reasonably be inferred about social-media influence?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Online promotion may be increasing public awareness of hydroxyapatite
   2. Online personalities have scientifically verified every product claim
   3. Consumers no longer consult dentists about toothpaste choices
   4. Researchers have rejected all information shared on social media
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Online promotion may be increasing public awareness of hydroxyapatite

   The wording suggests influence without claiming it is the sole cause.

   Social-media influencers and other online personalities appear to be contributing to hydroxyapatite’s visibility.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In the fourth paragraph, what does “the ingredient” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Hydroxyapatite
   2. Fluoride
   3. Tooth enamel
   4. Bacteria
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Hydroxyapatite

   The previous sentence identifies hydroxyapatite as the relevant ingredient.

   However, the available discussion establishes interest and some research support for the ingredient without demonstrating that every hydroxyapatite product performs identically or that it should automatically replace fluoride toothpaste.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention fluoride’s historical spread?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To contextualize fluoride’s longstanding prominence
   2. To identify the date hydroxyapatite was discovered
   3. To demonstrate that all countries regulate toothpaste identically
   4. To argue that older products are always superior
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To contextualize fluoride’s longstanding prominence

   Its history supports fluoride’s established position in oral care.

   Fluoride products became common in the late 1950s and subsequently became widely available around the world.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How does the article organize its comparison?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It progresses from public interest toward evidence-based consumer judgment
   2. It presents laboratory procedures before introducing the products
   3. It lists opposing expert biographies without developing an argument
   4. It focuses exclusively on the financial cost of dental products
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It progresses from public interest toward evidence-based consumer judgment

   It moves from consumer interest to evidence, context, limitations, and advice.

   For consumers, the central question is not simply whether a toothpaste is fashionable or fluoride-free.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What distinction does the article make about hydroxyapatite evidence?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Interest and research support do not prove identical results across products
   2. Research has conclusively shown that every product works equally well
   3. Hydroxyapatite has received no scientific attention whatsoever
   4. The ingredient is used only for cosmetic whitening purposes
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Interest and research support do not prove identical results across products

   It separates general support from proof of uniform product performance.

   However, the available discussion establishes interest and some research support for the ingredient without demonstrating that every hydroxyapatite product performs identically or that it should automatically replace fluoride toothpaste.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which concern does the article particularly associate with product selection for children?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Some consumers are increasingly hesitant about fluoride
   2. Children are more exposed to social-media advertising than adults
   3. Children cannot benefit from cavity protection
   4. Dental researchers recommend avoiding all toothpaste for children
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Some consumers are increasingly hesitant about fluoride

   The article identifies hesitation about fluoride in decisions involving children.

   Bennett Amaechi of the University of Texas at San Antonio says more people are rejecting fluoride altogether or feeling hesitant about it, particularly when selecting products for children.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.