Final answer:
Good oral hygiene is achieved through regular brushing and flossing, which remove microbes and protect teeth with fluoride. Chewing sugarless gum and using antiseptic mouthwashes can also be beneficial but are secondary to brushing and flossing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Good oral hygiene is maintained by frequent tooth brushing and flossing. This physical removal of microbes combats their growth and biofilm formation. Brushing with toothpaste, which contains fluoride, helps incorporate this element into tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acidity from fermentation of mouth microbiota. While chewing sugarless gum with sugar alcohols like xylitol can help by reducing acid production, they should not be relied upon solely. Additionally, antiseptic mouthwashes can complement brushing and flossing by targeting microbial cells through the disruption of proteins and membranes.