“Brush and floss your teeth to avoid cavities.” Sound familiar? Just about everyone knows they should brush (and floss). But do you know why?  

While we all know we’re supposed to brush and floss to keep our teeth healthy, cavities remain a common problem that we all have to contend with at one point or another:

1. Know your cavity risk level.

The first step in taking control of your oral health is knowing what your cavity risk level is. The best way to know this is through a comprehensive dental exam. With regular examinations, and discussion with your dentist, you will know where you stand, which treatments may be needed, as well as which changes in oral hygiene and diet may help. Once you know your risk level, then you take a more specific, effective approach to improving your oral health.

Another advantage of knowing your cavity risk level: it will also determine how often dental visits are needed.  The lower your risk, the less often you should need dental visits. Find out and discuss your risk level with your dentist during regular dental exams.

2. Brush your teeth regularly, properly and with the right brush.

This is the most obvious tip, and you’ve heard it since you were too small to ride the big rides. But, let us tell you why it’s so important for your oral health – and your overall health.

3. Cut back on sugary and acidic drinks — and drink more water.

Need that morning latte, daily cup of coffee, or hot cup of tea?  Prolonged exposure to teeth of acidic coffee or tea, compounded by added sugar or even just added milk can increase your risk for new cavities. Go ahead, enjoy your coffee! But try to keep it to 20 minutes or less, and rinse your mouth with water after.

The problem with sipping coffee with cavity causing additives such as sugar, syrups and cream is that the harmful sugars stay in your saliva over a long period of time. To counter this, drink some water along with other drinks to rinse your mouth and keep saliva from becoming too sugary and eating away at your teeth. Also, try sipping coffee from a straw which helps to keep those sugary liquids off your teeth and out of your saliva.

4. Get into the habit of flossing (we promise, it’s easy once you start).

We know, no one like to floss. But think about it this way: our teeth have 5 sides, and all of them need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Even when we brush every day, we’re still only cleaning 3 of those sides. So, without flossing, you’re really only cleaning about half of your teeth surface with brushing alone.

And remember, flossing only takes a few minutes a day – what else can you do for just a few minutes that can improve your health so much?

So, how do you start the flossing habit? Think of it as ‘multi-tasking’, something we all love doing. Try flossing while watching TV, or while reading a book in bed. Ideally, you should floss soon after a meal, or before bedtime, as with brushing your tooth. However, flossing is actually easier and more convenient because you can do it on the go. It’s really just like any other healthy habit – the key is starting small, and developing a routine that sticks.

5. Quit smoking.

It is well known that smoking and tobacco use can cause many different medical problems. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body, and over 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking.

However, most people don’t realize the harm that smoking and oral tobacco use pose to the mouth, gums and teeth. Smoking can do a lot more than just stain your teeth – this unhealthy habit can also lead to gum disease, tooth loss, and even oral cancer.