Oral health is essential to your general health and well-being. 

Brush your teeth at least two times a day
Use a brush with soft-bristles and toothpaste with fluoride.  Soft-bristles are gentler on your gums.  Fluoride helps to prevent tooth decay. 

• Use small gentle circular motion and short back-and-forth strokes. 
• Don’t press too hard – the bristles on the brush shouldn’t be flat.  
• Clean the outside and inside of your tooth surfaces and tongue.
• Brush your teeth after meals and at bedtime.
• Replace your toothbrush with a new one every three months.

Floss your teeth at least once a day
Cut a piece of floss about 18 inches long and wind most of it around one finger of each hand.  Gently guide the floss between two teeth.  W hen the floss reaches your gum; curve the floss against the surface of a tooth so that it forms a “C”.  Gently slide the floss against the side of the tooth to scrape off the plaque.  Repeat for each tooth always advancing the floss and using a clean piece.  Flossing helps to remove plaque and leftover food that you can’t reach by brushing.  It can help to keep your gums healthy.

Eat a balanced diet
Avoid sweets and sugars.  Eating 5 servings a day of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables stimulates the flow of saliva.  This can help repair tooth surfaces with early stages of tooth decay.

Schedule regular dental visits
Professional tooth cleaning is important.  It will remove plaque that has formed even with careful brushing and flossing.  Problems can be found early resulting in treatment that can prevent future damage.
       

Remember – your teeth are meant to last a lifetime.