What you can to do protect and further your oral dental health from babyhood to the golden Years, important Oral Dental Health Education information..

Simple Steps for Kids’ Dental Health:
Start cleaning teeth early. As soon as the first tooth appears, begin cleaning by wiping with a clean, damp cloth every day. When more teeth come in, switch to a small, soft toothbrush. Begin using fluoride toothpaste when the child is 2 years old. Use toothpaste with fluoride earlier if your child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.

Use the right amount of fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is important in fighting cavities. But if children younger than 6 years swallow too much fluoride, their teeth may develop white spots. To prevent this, use only a small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a small grain of corn). Teach your child to spit out the toothpaste and to rinse well after brushing.

Supervise brushing. Brush your child’s teeth twice a day until your child is able to use a toothbrush without help. Then, continue to closely watch brushing to make sure your child is doing a thorough job and using only a small amount of toothpaste.

Talk to your child’s doctor or dentist. Check with the doctor or dentist about your child’s specific fluoride needs. After age 2, most children get the necessary amount of fluoride to help prevent cavities if they drink water that contains fluoride and brush their teeth twice a day with a small amount of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a small grain of corn. Parents of children over the age of 6 months should ask about the need for a fluoride supplement if their drinking water does not have enough fluoride. Also, do not let a child younger than 6-years-old use a mouth rinse with fluoride unless the child’s doctor or dentist recommends it.

What Adults Can Do to Maintain Good Oral Health

Take care of your teeth and gums. Thorough tooth brushing and flossing to reduce dental plaque can prevent gingivitis - the mildest form of gum disease.

Avoid tobacco. In addition to the general health risks posed by tobacco, smokers have 7 times the risk of developing gum disease compared to non-smokers. Tobacco use in any form - cigarette, pipes, and smokeless (spit) tobacco - increases the risk for gum disease, oral and throat cancers, and oral fungal infection (candidiasis). Spit tobacco containing sugar increases the risk of tooth decay.

Limit alcohol. Heavy use of alcohol is also a risk factor for oral and throat cancers. When used alone, alcohol and tobacco are risk factors for oral cancers, but when used in combination the effects of alcohol and tobacco are even greater.

Eat wisely. Avoiding sugars and starches when snacking applies to adults as well as children. Limit the number of snacks eaten throughout the day. The recommended five-a-day helping of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables stimulates salivary flow to aid remineralization of tooth surfaces with early stages of tooth decay.

Visit the dentist regularly. Check-ups can detect early signs of oral health problems and can lead to treatments that will prevent further damage and in some cases reverse the problem. Professional tooth cleaning (prophylaxis) also is important for preventing oral problems, especially when self-care is difficult.

Diabetic patients should work to maintain control of their disease. This will help prevent the complications of diabetes, including an increased risk of gum disease.

If medications produce a dry mouth, ask your doctor if there are other drugs that can be substituted.

Have an oral health assessment before beginning cancer treatment. Radiation to the head or neck and/or chemotherapy may cause problems for your teeth and gums. Treating existing oral health problems before cancer therapy may help prevent or limit oral complications or tissue damage.

What the Elderly Can Do to Maintain Oral Health

Practice good oral hygiene. Careful tooth brushing and flossing to reduce dental plaque can help prevent periodontal disease.

Get professional oral health care, even if you have no natural teeth. Professional care helps to maintain the overall health of the teeth and mouth, and provides for early detection of pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions.

Avoid tobacco. In addition to the general health risks posed by tobacco use, smokers have seven times the risk of developing periodontal disease compared to non-smokers. Tobacco used in any form - cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless (spit) tobacco - increases the risk for periodontal disease, oral and throat cancers, and oral fungal infection (candidiasis). Spit tobacco containing sugar also increases the risk of dental decay.

Limit alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption is a risk factor for oral and throat cancers. Alcohol and tobacco used together are the primary risk factors for these cancers.

Make sure that you or your loved one gets dental care prior to undergoing cancer chemotherapy or radiation to the head or neck. These therapies can damage or destroy oral tissues and can result in severe mucosal inflammation and ulcers, loss of salivary function, rampant decay, and destruction of bone.

Caregivers should attend to the daily oral hygiene procedures of elders who are unable to perform these activities independently.

Sudden changes in taste and smell should not be considered signs of aging but should be an alert to seek professional care.

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