Keep Teeth in Tip-Top Shape

Daily brushing and flossing, and regular dental visits, are important ways to keep your pearly whites healthy.

Here are additional suggestions for better tooth health, provided by the Nemours Foundation:

• Be careful not to brush your teeth too hard, which can damage sensitive gums.
• Brush from your gumline to the top of each tooth in short, gentle strokes. Make sure you thoroughly brush the entire height of your teeth (especially where you chew).
• Be sure to get the bristles down in the crevices where food can collect. Thoroughly brush the insides of your teeth.
• For the backs of hard-to-brush front teeth, try holding the toothbrush almost vertically, and brush up and down.
• Always brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth to get rid of bacteria. Use a sweeping, forward motion to clean these areas.
• Brush your teeth for two to three minutes at a time. Carefully floss between your teeth, back and forth, and gently down to the gumline.
• Curve the floss around each tooth -- don't forget the backs of teeth.
• Gently move the floss up and down to dislodge food and bacteria-laden plaque.