Many adults want to teach their children to share, and for the most part sharing is a good thing to learn. However when it comes to your and their oral health do not overshare. If you have young kids, avoid sharing utensils with them or tasting food before serving it to them. Also make sure to cover your mouth when you sneeze.

Mouth rinse are not use just to fight bad breath issues. If a cavity has already formed then you will need to see a dentist for a filling. However, for early-stage decay, your dentist can prescribe mouth rinse with chlorhexidine, a powerful antiseptic that fights off bacteria and can prevent decay from developing into cavities.

Although many adults know that seeing their dentist regularly is an important part of maintaining good oral health, nearly half of adults skipped the dentist.

However if you do not go for yourself you may want to go for your kids, to keep from passing on a dental cavity. Make sure to make and keep your dental appointment, every adult needs to be screened for tooth decay.

While warning signs such as tooth sensitivity, pain, or visible holes in teeth are cavity clues, one of the biggest mistakes often made is to avoid the dentist until you are in pain. Regular cleaning’s can help prevent tooth decay from turning into cavities and reduce levels of cavity-causing (and cavity-spreading) bacteria in your mouth.

Many people know that colds, chickenpox, and even yawns are contagious, However did you know that dental cavities can be contagious too?

Sugar-laden candy bars are not the only cause of tooth decay. Tooth decay actually results when bacteria in your mouth feed on food debris and produce acid as a byproduct. This mix of food, acid, saliva, and germs clings to your teeth as a filmy substance called plaque, which can erode teeth enamel and cause cavities to form.

No matter what you eat, cavities will not form without the help of such bacteria. These germs can spread from mouth to mouth via shared food and utensils, sneezing, kissing, and more, according to Edward “Trey” Wilson, DDS, a dentist in private practice in New York City and New Hope, Pa. — making cavities contagious.

Many people have bad breath or suffer from chronic bad breath. If you suffer from bad breath you may be looking for ways to help manage the problem. If so, you may want to  consider a tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers are relatively inexpensive and available at most pharmacies.

Tongue scrapers are often touted as the way to improve bad breath, but there is very little research to show that they are any more effective than simply brushing the tongue with your toothbrush as part of your tooth brushing routine.  However, trying a tongue scraper can not hurt, and they are easy to use. Simply hold the scraper at the back of your tongue, and bring it forward, scraping gently but firmly along the tongue as you go.

Be careful when trying to mask bad breath.  Sugarless gum should not replace brushing and flossing your teeth after a meal, but in a pinch it can freshen breath by masking odors and is another way to increase saliva production to rinse away plaque and bacteria. Make sure to go for sugarless gum and or mints, since sugar creates plaque, and no one wants a mint that makes breath worse.

Bad breath that seems to have no other cause may indicate an infection elsewhere in the body. If you have chronic bad breath and your dentist rules out any oral problems, see your doctor for an evaluation. Bad breath can be a sign of a range of conditions including respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis or bronchitis, diabetes, or liver and kidney problems.

Choosing and maintaining your tooth brush tips.

1) When choosing a toothbrush you want to pick one with soft or extra soft bristle. The hard the brush bristles, the greater the risk of harming your teeth and gums. Therefore unless advised by your dentist soft bristled toothbrushes are the better pick.

2) Another good tip is to make sure you pick a toothbrush that has the seal of approval by the American Dental Association.

3) Keep in mind the type of brush you use is not nearly as important as brushing the right way and twice a day. Any approved toothbrush will be a good tool, but you have to know how to use it.

4) Change your toothbrush regularly. Throw away your old toothbrush after three months or when the bristles start to flare, whichever comes first.

5) If you notice that your toothbrush bristles flare sooner than every three months, It may be that you are brushing too hard. Therefore try easing up.

Do not short change your time when it comes to brushing your teeth. Two minutes is the minimum time you need to clean all of your teeth.  If you need to set a timer or brush to a song on the radio. But do not skimp on brushing time. While brushing your teeth make sure to  brush each tooth thoroughly.

When brushing your teeth make sure not to brush too hard. Doing so can damage your gums. Brushing too hard can cause your gums to recede. Plaque attaches to teeth like jam sticks to a spoon. It can not be totally removed by rinsing, but a light brushing will do the trick. Once plaque has hardened into calculus (tartar), brushing ca not remove it. If you think you might brush too hard, hold your toothbrush the same way you hold a pen. This encourages a lighter stroke.

It is important to brush your teeth for good oral health care but over brushing is not helpful. Therefore brush no more than three times a day. Brushing after lunch will give you a good midday cleaning. But brushing too often can damage your gums.

One of the first oral health care tip is to brush your teeth at least twice a day.  One of those times should be just before you go to bed. When you sleep, your mouth gets drier. This makes it easier for acids from bacteria to attack your teeth.

Then when you wake you will want to brush your teeth  after breakfast.  That way, bits of food are removed. But if you eat in your car or at work, or skip breakfast, brush first thing in the morning. This will get rid of the plaque that built up overnight.

Inflammation, the body’s response to injury, seems to be the key connection between fat, bacteria and diabetes.   However, inflammation is beneficial in small, controlled doses but can be very harmful when it persists and becomes chronic.

Tips on taking care of your growing baby’s teeth and gums

* During this time you want to make sure to maintain good dental health care habits with your child. Brushing at least twice a day for two to three minutes.  Flossing once two teeth are together.  Remember by making this a fun thing to do it will encourage your child to maintain their dental health care as they grow

* Make sure to follow the schedule of dental examinations and cleans as recommended by your child’s pediatric dentist. This is generally once every six months but depending your child dental health may be more or less.

* As you child learns to rinse and spit, you can then start brushing with a pea-size portion of fluoridated toothpaste.

* Never leave fluoride toothpastes unattended, young children like to eat toothpaste and fluoridated toothpaste must never be eaten.

In order to reduce your risk of chipping or cracking your teeth you want avoid munching on ice or hard candies, grinding or clenching teeth, and using your teeth as tools to hold or open items. Even exposing teeth to heat and cold can lead to chips, cracks, and breaks in your teeth.

Tiny chips or cracks may not be a bother. But anything more could lead to pain or permanent tooth damage. Your dentist can offer dental bonding, tooth contouring, porcelain veneers, and crowns to fix badly damaged teeth.

Tips on taking care of your baby’s teeth and gums

* During six months to twelve months your baby first tooth should appear.  Make sure to consul with a pediatric dentist for an dental examination.

* You want to brush your baby’s teeth after each feeding and before bedtime with a small soft bristled toothbrush.

* As your child starts to learn how to walk, stay alert of potential dental and/or facial injuries.

* Try and wean your child from the use of a baby bottle by his or her first birthday. (If a woman breastfeeds her child, the  American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends breastfeeding for at least one year. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years.)

A few symptoms of oral cancer could be, mouth sore that does not go away. Unexplained numbness in the face, mouth, or neck. Problems chewing, speaking or swallowing.

Causes of oral cancer, can include smoking cigarettes and using smokeless tobacco, drinking heavily, overexposure to the sun, and a family history of cancer. Oral cancer has also been linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Do not let fear keep you from the doctor, oral cancer that is caught early is treatable and curable.

Often times your dentist will also look for any signs of oral cancer when you have your regular dental checks.  Just another good reason to make sure to make and keep your regular dental appointments.

Right from birth you need to take care of baby dental and oral health. Here are a few tips.

* Make sure to clean your infant’s mouth with gauze or a soft infant toothbrush after feeding and before bedtime.

* Make sure to consult your infant’s pediatrician regarding fluoride supplements.

* Make sure to regulate feeding habits for both bottle and breastfeeding.

* Never let your baby sleep with a baby bottle with anything other then water in it.

Leukoplakia is a reaction to an irritant, like rough teeth, badly fitting dentures, smoking, and smokeless tobacco. It can show up as white patches or plaques in the mouth, is usually painless, and can not be scraped off.

Leukoplakia can also be a precancerous condition. Persistent patches or other changes in your mouth need a dentist’s evaluation.  See a dentist if you think you may have Leukoplakia for an evaluation and treatment.

Here are a few do not when it comes to taking care of baby’s teeth

* Do not attempt to clean baby’s gum if your baby is cranky or tired

* Do not use toothpaste at an early age. If you are going to use toothpaste use only a smear about the size of a match head and discourage your child form swallowing.

* Around the age of two your child can use more toothpaste about the size of a pea.

* Do not forget to floss. Flossing for children is important and should be done as soon as your child has two teeth next to one another.