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this website is 100% trust worthy because its the national health service website. it's an article on how to keep your mouth and gums healthy and how to take care of them . they have information for adults and children

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Here's how you and your children can have healthy teeth and keep trips to the dentist to a minimum.

Brush your teeth twice a day

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Read more about how to keep your teeth clean

Floss between your teeth

Floss or use an interdental brush every day to remove food, debris and plaque lodged between your teeth.

Read more about why you should use dental floss.

Cut down on sugar, and other lifestyle tips

Have a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, not smoking and limiting your alcohol and sugar intake. It's good for your whole body, including your teeth, gums and mouth.

Brush baby teeth as soon as they come through

Start brushing a baby's teeth as soon as they come through.

Here are tips on looking after your baby's teeth, including the importance of avoiding sweetened foods and drinks.

Get children into a teeth-cleaning routine

Help your child have healthy teeth for life by having a good dental health routine.

Read more about how to look after your children's teeth.

Straighten crooked teeth with braces

More and more teenagers (and some adults) are having braces and orthodontics to straighten their teeth.

Find out more about braces and orthodontics.

Have regular dental check-ups

Have regular check-ups with your dentist. Do not put off going for a check-up. Detecting problems early can mean they're easier to treat.

If problems are not treated, they may lead to damage that's harder, or even impossible, to repair.

There are a wide range of dental treatments available. Some, such as fillings and root canal treatment, are readily available on the NHS.

Others, such as cosmetic dentistry, are only available on the NHS in certain circumstances.

Find out more about dental treatments and dental check-ups.

For information on who can get free dentistry and what to expect from your dentist, see how to find an NHS dentist.

Read the answers to the most common questions about NHS dentistry.

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Find out how to improve your and your family's dental health, including preventing problems and visiting the dentist for regular check-ups.

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Colgate is a world wide toothpaste brand and this article is a UK based, it is very informal with step by step information and pictures to go with them, this can be very helpful to teach children and even adults on what is the proper way to brush your teeth, floss etc.

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What is Good Oral Hygiene?
Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means:

Your teeth are clean and free of debris

Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss

Bad breath is not a constant problem

If your gums do hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, see your dentist. Any of these conditions may indicate a problem.

Your dentist or hygienist can help you learn good oral hygiene techniques and can help point out areas of your mouth that may require extra attention during brushing and flossing.

How is Good Oral Hygiene Practiced?
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.

Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and is much less painful, expensive, and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.

In between regular visits to the dentist, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:

Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily

Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals

Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste

Rinsing with a fluoride mouthrinse if your dentist tells you to

Making sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride supplement if they live in a non-fluoridated area.

Proper Brushing Technique

Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline.

Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes.

Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath.

Proper Flossing Technique

Use about 18" of floss, leaving an inch or two to work with.

Gently follow the curves of your teeth.

Be sure to clean beneath the gumline, but avoid snapping the floss on the gums.

11/15/2010

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Oral hygiene means clean teeth, painless gums, and fresh breath, indicating a healthy mouth. Learn good oral hygiene techniques with the help of Colgate.

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this website is good as it give information what type of diet can effect youth dental hygiene

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How identify, diagnose and treat gum disease | Mouth Dental

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Here is everything you need to know about gum disease, its symptoms, what causes it, prevention and the treatment options available to you. Find out more here.

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a very good website filled with information about different foods and drink that can effect your teeth in different ways

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damages your teeth and leads to fillings or even extractions. Decay happens when sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque. This forms the acids that attack the teeth and destroy the enamel. After this happens many times, the tooth enamel may break down, forming a hole or 'cavity' into the dentine. The tooth can then decay more quickly.

What foods can cause decay?

All sugars can cause decay. Sugar can come in many forms. Usually ingredients ending in 'ose' are sugars, for example: sucrose, fructose and glucose are just three types. These sugars can all damage your teeth.

Many processed foods have sugar in them, and the higher up it appears in the list of ingredients, the more sugar there is in the product. Always read the list of ingredients on the labels when you are food shopping.

When you are reading the labels remember that 'no added sugar' does not necessarily mean that the product is sugar free. It simply means that no extra sugar has been added. These products may contain sugars such as those listed above, or the sugars may be listed as 'carbohydrates'. Ask your dental team if you are not sure.

Can food and drink cause erosion?

Acidic food and drinks can cause dental erosion - the gradual dissolving of the tooth enamel. Listed below are the 'pH values' of some food and drinks. The lower the pH number, the more acidic the product. Anything with a pH value lower than 5.5 may cause erosion. 'Alkalis' have a high pH number and cancel out the acid effects of sugars. pH 7 is the middle figure between acid and alkali.

Mineral water (still) pH 7.6

It is better for your teeth and general health if you eat 3 meals a day instead of having 7 to 10 snacks. If you do need to snack between meals, choose foods that do not contain sugar. Fruit does contain acids, which can erode your teeth. However, this is only damaging to your teeth if you eat an unusually large amount. Try not to have a lot of dried fruit as it is high in sugar.

If you do eat fruit as a snack, try to eat something alkaline such as cheese afterwards. Savoury snacks are better, such as:

The main point to remember is that it is not the amount of sugar you eat or drink, but how often you do it. Sweet foods are allowed, but it is important just to have them at mealtimes.

To help reduce tooth decay, cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and try to have sugar-free varieties. Confectionery and chewing gum containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol may help to reduce tooth decay.

Sugary foods can also cause a range of health problems including heart disease and being overweight.

Still water and milk are good choices. It is better for your teeth if you drink fruit juices just at meal times. If you are drinking them between meals, try diluting them with water.

Diluted sugar-free fruit drinks are the safest alternative to water and milk. If you make these, be sure that the drink is diluted 1 part fruit drink to 10 parts water. Some soft drinks contain sweeteners, which are not suitable for young children - ask your dental team if you are not sure.

Fizzy drinks can increase the risk of dental problems. The sugar can cause decay and the acid in both normal and diet drinks can dissolve the enamel on the teeth. The risk is higher when you have these drinks between meals.

Should I brush my teeth after every meal?

It is important that you brush last thing at night and at least one other time during the day, with a toothpaste containing .

Eating and drinking foods containing sugar and acids naturally weakens the enamel on your teeth. Brushing straight afterwards can cause tiny particles of enamel to be brushed away. It is best not to brush your teeth until at least one hour after eating.

It is especially important to brush before bed. This is because the flow of saliva, which is the mouth's own cleaning system, slows down during the night and this leaves the mouth more at risk from decay.

Children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per million). Three-year-olds to adults should use a toothpaste that contains 1350ppm to 1500ppm of fluoride.

Why is a healthy diet important for my oral health?

Every time you eat or drink anything sugary, your teeth are under acid attack for up to one hour. This is because the sugar will react with the bacteria in plaque (the sticky coating on your teeth) and produce harmful acids. So it is important to have sugary foods or drinks just at mealtimes, limiting the amount of time your mouth is at risk.

Acidic foods and drinks can be just as harmful. The acid 'erodes' or dissolves the enamel, exposing the dentine underneath. This can make your teeth sensitive and unsightly.

A diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals and fresh fruit and vegetables can help to prevent . Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and cause bad breath.

Chewing gum makes your mouth produce more saliva, which helps to cancel out the acid in your mouth after eating or drinking. It has been proven that using after meals can prevent tooth decay. However, it is important to use only sugar-free gum, as ordinary chewing gum contains sugar and therefore may damage your teeth.

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If you need free and impartial advice about your oral health, contact our Dental Helpline by email or call 01788 539780 (local rate call in the UK).

Our Dental Helpline is completely confidential and has helped almost 400,000 people since opening over 20 years ago. Contact our experts by telephone, email or online enquiry, Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:00.

Thank you to Wrigley, who have kindly provided us with an Educational Grant for this information. Wrigley's support does not only allow us to develop and maintain this advice online but means that we can continue to provide this vital resource as a printed leaflet for dental practices and hospitals to hand out to patients and leave in waiting areas.

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Contact our team of fully-qualified professionals by telephone (01788 539780), or email ( [email protected]) for impartial advice about your oral health. Read more

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oral health charity dental advice uk national smile month mouth cancer action month

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damages your teeth and leads to fillings or even extractions. Decay happens when sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque. This forms the acids that attack the teeth and destroy the enamel. After this happens many times, the tooth enamel may break down, forming a hole or 'cavity' into the dentine.

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this website is about how to keep a fresh breath ny giving you techniques on how to breath etc.

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How to maintain fresh breath | Portman Dental & Implant Clinic

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At Portman Dental & Implant Clinic our team will be sensitive to your concerns about bad breath. We can help you on the road to fresh breath, and offer advice the cause to help maintain your fresher breath.