Regular Dental Care

Dental problems affect more than your teeth and mouth. Gum (periodontal) disease and other mouth infections may increase the risk for:

•  Pneumonia.

•  Heart disease.

• Diabetes.

Also, an oral exam can help a dentist detect many health problems. These include diabetes, eating disorders, heart disease, osteoporosis, and a lack of vitamins.

Brush Your Teeth

• Do this at least once or twice a day. Brush after each meal and snack, if you can.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush with a gentle touch.

• Do a thorough job. Brush in small circles across all of the surfaces of both the upper and lower teeth. Brush the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces. Brush the surfaces between the teeth.

• A child younger than 7 years old and some handicapped persons may need help to do a thorough job.

• Use a toothbrush that fits your mouth. Change your toothbrush to a new one:

• Every 3 to 4 months.

• If the bristles are bent or frayed.

• After having a throat or mouth infection.

• Brush your gums gently. Keep the bristles angled against the gum line.

• Gently brush your tongue. It can trap germs.

• Use a toothpaste with fluoride. If you have sensitive teeth, use a toothpaste made for this.

Floss Your Teeth

• Floss twice a day. To remember to do this, floss after you brush your teeth. Floss more often if food particles get trapped between teeth.

• Use a piece of floss about 1¹/₂ feet long. Wrap the ends of the floss around your middle fingers.

• To floss your upper teeth, hold the floss tightly between the thumb on one hand and index finger on the other. Using a sawing motion, gently bring the floss through the tight spaces between the teeth. Do not snap it against the gums.

• With the floss at the gum line, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth and gently scrape the side of it with the floss. Repeat on each tooth. Use a fresh section of floss for each tooth.

• Repeat for your lower teeth, but hold the floss between both index fingers.

• Rinse your mouth after flossing.

• If it is hard for you to use dental floss, try a dental floss holder or dental tape sold in drugstores.

• It is normal for gums to be tender and bleed for the first week. If the bleeding continues, see your dentist.

Other Tips

• Protect your teeth from damage and injury. (See Self-Care / Prevention for Broken or Knocked-Out Tooth.)

• Ask your dentist if you should use a fluoride mouth rinse, a prescribed toothpaste with fluoride, fluoride supplements, and/or a water-pik device.

• Don’t lay a baby down with a bottle left in the baby’s mouth if the bottle contains juice, milk, soda, etc. Water is okay, though.

Get Regular Dental Checkups

See your dentist every 6 months, at least every year, or as often as your dentist advises. At a complete dental checkup, the dentist does these things:

• Looks at the soft tissues (tongue, cheeks, throat, and gums) for problems.

• Checks the bite and jaw joints.

• Measures pockets between teeth and gums. This checks for periodontal (gum) problems.

• Has X-rays taken, as needed.

• Addresses any areas of concern.

Diet & Dental Health Tips

• If your local water supply has fluoride, drink 6 to 10 cups of tap water every day. If not, make sure to use a fluoride toothpaste. Milk, eggs, spinach, and some teas have fluoride, but only small amounts.

• Eat healthy foods. Limit between-meal snacks.

• Have sticky, chewy, sugary foods with (not between) meals. Finish a meal with foods that help buffer acid formation. Examples are cheese, meat, fish, nuts, dill pickles, and peanut butter (without added sugar).

• Avoid sugar-sweetened gum and beverages. Chew a sugar-free gum instead, especially one with the artificial sweetener xylitol.

• Don’t eat sweets, fruit, or starchy foods just before bedtime. Your mouth makes less saliva during the night. This allows cavity-causing bacteria to feed on food particles. Brushing your teeth isn’t enough to prevent this.