Take good care of your teeth?

It's really important to have good oral health habits because a dental problem may have more negative consequences that you can ever imagine!

If you don't take care of your teeth, it won't be long before cavities and unhealthy gums make your mouth very, very sore. 

Eating meals will be difficult. 

You won't feel like smiling much either. 

Brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, for two minutes each time. 

Make sure you brush on all sides of your teeth and get your tongue. 

You can ask your dentist(s) for a demonstration. 

It is best to do one of these times before you go to bed, as your mouth does not have the same salivary protection when you are sleeping as it does during the day. 

If you can, brush after lunch as well. 

Brushing during the day will reduce the damage caused by plaque byproducts and toxins.

Each tooth has five distinct sides; a toothbrush cleans only 3 of those 5 sides. 

The other two sides are where much of the destruction and disease (not to mention foul odors) originate: the in between areas. 

These remaining two sides require dental floss or tiny inter-dental brushes that can reach in-between and under the contact points of the teeth. 

Gum disease is linked to life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and premature low birth weight babies.

Use a dry bristle brush for the first two minutes of cleaning. 

It's not the toothpaste that "cleans" your teeth, it's the mechanical action of the bristles in physical contact with the tooth surface that removes plaque (a living bio-film teeming with microorganisms that cause disease). 

You can do a magnificent job brushing your teeth using a dry brush and rinsing with water (although your teeth will not have the benefit of fluoride).

Spend time moving the bristles at and below the gum line, where it is most important to clean. 

The toothpaste can go on after those two minutes, and you can have the advantage of fluoride, whitening, stain removal or whatever works better for you because it's applied to a nice clean surface.

Floss Your Teeth

Floss your teeth daily and after any food that will stick in your teeth (i.e. corn on the cob, caramel, peanut butter, etc.). 

This cleans the other sides of your teeth that you couldn't reach with your toothbrush.

Use a tongue scraper. 

A tongue scraper is an important part of oral hygiene that will also work wonders with stale, smelly breath. 

Use it to remove the plaque on your tongue, which will freshen breath and presumably slow down the accumulation of plaque on your teeth. 

Alternatively, you can use your toothbrush to clean your tongue.

Use Mouth Wash

Find a fluoride mouthwash. 

Fluoride mouthwashes help to strengthen tooth enamel. 

Teach children between the age of six and twelve good rinsing skills to prevent swallowing. 

Follow the directions on the bottle. 

Right before you got to bed is a good time.

Choose your foods wisely

Avoid snacking constantly. 

Snacking constantly can cause plaque to build up on your teeth, which can increase the risk of getting cavities.

Instead of reaching for the chocolate, nibble a bit of cheese as a snack. 

Cheese and milk are really good for keeping healthy teeth because they are alkaline. 

This counteracts the acids that eat away at your teeth. 

As cheese and milk break down in your system, they become extremely acidic. 

For example, imagine having cheese stuck between your teeth. 

After a few hours your breath will be quite pungent and the taste in your mouth will be a fowl one. 

It's like providing a grand feast for the bacteria in your mouth.. causing them to thrive.)

Avoid sugary and/or sticky foods. 

Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which then excrete substances that break down tooth enamel.

Eat lots of vegetables, and drink water instead of soda or juice.

Remember that fruit juices are full of acids and natural sugars. 

Keep drinking these to a minimum or only drink them at meal-times, when the saliva is flowing most.

Try to chew less seeds. 

It may produce fissures in your molars.