Tips for teeth

It's recommended to floss every night before brushing to remove anything your toothbrush is unable to dislodge. Many patients admit to skipping this step, but it is an important part of a healthy routine. If you only brush and decide you don't need to floss, small particles of food and other deposits that are missed by your toothbrush can eventually develop into decay. To avoid this, make sure you take two minutes a day to add flossing to your routine. When you first start flossing, it may cause sensitive gums to hurt. This is natural and will stop once you've been flossing for a couple days. When flossing, make sure you slide it up and down along the whole tooth. Don't ignore tight spaces, this is one of the most important places to floss as your toothbrush can't reach these areas.

To make it easier to clean every tooth, try to spend 30 seconds on each quadrant of your mouth (upper right side, upper left side, lower right side, lower left side). Using the right techniques are important to ensure the teeth are being cleaned properly and you aren't damaging the soft tissue around them. Using small circular motions, angle the head of the brush towards the gums. Be sure to clean all surfaces, as well as along the gum line, both on the fronts and backs of your teeth. Some patients find using an electric toothbrush helps as well.

Keeping your teeth clean and healthy begins with regular maintenance. Brushing for two minutes at a time twice a day, known as the 2x2 rule, will help to keep plaque at bay. Patients with children should introduce this concept early, and find ways to make it fun. You can play a song while they're brushing, or use a timer to know when two full minutes have passed.

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.

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.

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

Get children into a teeth-cleaning routine
Help your child have healthy teeth for life by having a good dental health routine.

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.

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.

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