To keep your mouth and your teeth healthy:
- Brush your teeth after every time you eat
- If you can’t brush, finish your meal with an apple or a carrot (the crunchiness helps clean your teeth) and rinse your mouth with water
- At least once per day, floss every tooth you want to keep
- Don’t smoke or chew tobacco
- Avoid sugary foods and drinks
- Limit acidic beverages and foods
- Choose calcium-rich foods to strengthen your bones and teeth
- Use a toothpaste that fights plaque and gingivitis
- Consider using an oral rinse that strengthen tooth enamel
- Wear a mouth guard at night if you grind your teeth in your sleep
- Wear a mouth guard when playing sports
- Know what to do if you (or your child) loses or loosens a tooth due to accident or injury (learn more in our post How to treat a sports injury to your child’s teeth)
- Never use your teeth as a substitute for a tool
- Avoid chewing on extremely hard substances including food items like ice and hard candy
- Contact our office and work out a plan for regular check-ups so you don’t let things go to the point you develop gum disease or cavities, which are costly to fix