In adult oral care, which direction is NOT the correct way to wipe?

• A. Front to back
• B. Back to front
• C. Up and down
• D. Circular

Answer: (B)

Wiping direction matters for preventing infection during hygiene. The correct approach is to wipe from front to back, moving away from the urethral opening toward the anus, using a clean area of the cloth for each stroke. This keeps bacteria from the anal area from reaching the genital or urinary openings. Moving from back toward the front would push bacteria toward the urethral opening, increasing infection risk, so that direction is not appropriate. The other directions aren’t the standard infection-preventive approach, though technique can vary with the patient and situation; the key point is the front-to-back path to protect the genital and urinary areas.