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Along with brushing your teeth twice a day, follow these steps to help keep your mouth healthy: Floss once a day. Drink plenty of water. If there's fluoride in your community's tap water, drinking it may help lower the risk of cavities. Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary food and drinks. Use mouthwash after brushing and flossing.
Periodontitis Enlarge image. Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
To protect your oral health, take care of your mouth every day. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each time. Use a brush with soft bristles and fluoride toothpaste. Brush your tongue too. Clean between your teeth daily with floss, a water flosser or other products made for that purpose.
That means brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice daily — in the morning and before going to bed — and flossing at least once a day. Better yet, brush after every meal or snack or as your dentist recommends. Flossing before you brush cleans away loosened food particles and bacteria. Go to the dentist regularly.
Depending on your situation, your dentist might recommend: Desensitizing toothpaste and mouthwash. These products may help block the pain of sensitive teeth. Most are available without a prescription. Fluoride. Your dentist may apply fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth. This can help strengthen tooth enamel and ease pain.
Not brushing your teeth well. If you don't clean your teeth soon after eating and drinking, plaque forms quickly, and the first stages of decay and gingivitis can begin. Not getting enough fluoride. Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, helps prevent cavities. It also can reverse the earliest stages of tooth damage.
Types of cavities Enlarge image. Your dentist usually can detect tooth decay by: Asking about tooth pain and sensitivity. Looking around inside your mouth and at your teeth. Probing your teeth with dental instruments to check for soft areas. Looking at dental X-rays, which can show where cavities and decay are.
Symptoms. Signs and symptoms of bruxism may include: Teeth grinding or clenching, which may be loud enough to wake up your sleep partner. Teeth that are flattened, fractured, chipped or loose. Worn tooth enamel, exposing deeper layers of your tooth. Increased tooth pain or sensitivity.
Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns: Episodes of intense shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock. Sudden episodes of pain or pain triggered by touching the face, chewing, speaking or brushing your teeth. Episodes of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes.
Brushing and flossing for oral health. Oral health begins with clean teeth. Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle against your teeth and brush with short back-and-forth motions. Brush the outside, inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well as your tongue. Floss your teeth one at a time, rubbing the floss against the side of the tooth ...