Everyone wants healthy teeth, but it can be difficult to spend the time necessary to achieve them. The following article will provide you with expert advice on taking great care of your mouth. Apply the advice, and you will have a beautiful smile now and in the future.

Certain types of food can damage teeth. You should avoid eating sweets and any kind of food that is too rich in sugar. Some foods and beverages can cause stains, while others can increase dental sensitivity. Use a straw to drink to lessen the damage that is done to your teeth.

Cavities, which are also called dental caries, are the result of weakened tooth enamel. Bacteria feeds on tooth surfaces, resulting in cavities. Make sure you visit your dentist once or twice per year to get your teeth professionally cleaned so that you can help prevent cavities. During your visits, your dentist will make x-rays of your teeth to ensure you have no cavities forming.

You must brush your teeth as soon as you get done eating. Leaving plaque and food on your teeth could worsen damage. You are less likely to have build-up on your teeth if you brush within a half hour after eating. This can help save you from toothaches in the long run.

Lots of teens are lazy in regards to oral hygiene. One way to get people to brush, use mouthwash and floss regularly is to tell them that people aren’t very attractive when they have breath that’s bad. Embarrassment is a great motivator for teens.

Do not hesitate to use large quantities of floss to clean your teeth. You should be able to get your whole mouth clean with around 20 inches. Also, twist floss around two fingers. Allow for a 1″ length of floss for each space between your teeth.

If you wish for whiter teeth, try buying quality whitening strips, along with cleaning teeth regularly. Check the instructions and follow them to a T. Avoid using these strips frequently as you may damage your teeth.

Let kids chew on their brushes. Brushing right is important, but chewing on the brush can clean a little. Many young children tend to do this as they learn how to properly care for their teeth. Instead of reprimanding them, let them do it and then show them how to best brush their teeth afterwards.

Considering getting your tongue pierced? You might want to rethink that! Piercing your tongue can actually cause quite a bit of damage to your mouth. You can get infections and chip your enamel more easily if you have an oral piercing. If unchecked, you may also have to have some of your tongue removed, which isn’t the greatest look in the world.

Brush your teeth away from the gums. Doing so whisks away food particles and bacteria that may have been trapped beneath the gum tissue. You can scrub sideways first, but make sure you do the up and down scrubbing too.

Take tooth pain very seriously! Pain may signal an infection and will need to be taken care of as soon as possible. Be sure to see a dentist promptly to take care of this problem before it spreads throughout your body or into your brain.

Buy flossing pics so you can always floss. Think of a flossing pick as a length of floss with a small plastic handle. These can be carried anywhere with you so that you can floss at any time that is convenient for you. These can be easier to carry if your handbag is small. If you want to encourage your young children to floss, show them how to use the picks instead of traditional dental floss.

As you read before, there are things you can do to promote the health of your teeth. The above article has, hopefully, provided you with helpful tips you can start using now! You only have one set of adult teeth to last a lifetime, so treat them well! Take good care of your mouth and smile!