Health Tip: Keep Teeth in Tip-Top Shape

(HealthDay News) -- 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.

-- Diana Kohnle

Last Updated: July 09, 2008

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