Oral Hygiene Basics: Good advice for taking care of your teeth and gums

Basic Oral Hygiene For Adults

Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:

• Teeth are clean and free of debris

• Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss

• Bad breath is not a constant problem

If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.

Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop. The following are simple steps that you can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:

• Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily

• Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals

• Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste

• Making sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride supplement if they live in a non-fluoridated area. Ask your dentist or hygienist to teach you good oral hygiene techniques and help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.

Basic Oral Hygiene For Kids

How Do I Help My Children Care for Their Teeth and Prevent Cavities?

Teaching your child proper oral care at a young age is an investment in his or her health that will pay lifelong dividends. You can start by setting an example; taking good care of your own teeth sends a message that oral health is something to be valued. And anything that makes taking care of teeth fun, like brushing along with your child or letting them choose their own toothbrush, encourages proper oral care.

To help your children protect their teeth and gums and greatly reduce their risk of getting cavities, teach them to follow these simple steps:

• Brush twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque-the sticky film on teeth that's the main cause of tooth decay.

• Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and under the gumline, before it can harden into tartar. Once tartar has formed, it can only be removed by a professional cleaning.

•Eat a well-balanced diet that limits starchy or sugary foods, which produce plaque acids that cause tooth decay. When you do eat these foods, try to eat them with your meal instead of as a snack-the extra saliva produced during a meal helps rinse food from the mouth.

• Use toothpaste containing fluoride.

• Make sure that your children's drinking water is fluoridated. If your water supply; municipal, well or bottled does not contain fluoride, your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe daily fluoride supplements.

• Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups.