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If you do not take measures to ensure great dental health, your pocketbook and mouth will suffer. Cavities and root canals, gum disease and tooth decay, all of these cost money to fix, and are extremely painful. Most people will agree that having dental work done is not pleasant, so what can you do to avoid it and ensure great dental health?

When it comes to great dental health, prevention is the key, so what can you do? The following are five important tips for great dental health:

Visit your dentist regularly.

If you put off visiting your dentist, or neglect doing so for several years, your teeth will suffer from poor health. This is almost inevitable; a dentist visit is the only way to rid yourself of plaque buildup and tartar. Most people put off visiting the dentist until they are in pain. This is a mistake and should be avoided by scheduling a minimum of 2 visits a year. Visiting the dentist regularly will help to locate problems or potential problems before they become more serious and costly to fix.

Brush properly

When you brush your teeth, you should be brushing at least twice a day for two minutes each, a minute on the top and a minute on the bottom. You should never consider a quick brushover your teeth as brushing. You should also be brushing in a circular motion and concentrating on the gumline. You should make sure the toothbrush you use has soft bristles, and is the right size for your mouth. You should also be sure that it is changed at least once every 3 or 4 months, as the bristles will begin to wear down and become less effective.

Floss regularly

Flossing is not just for the day before and day of a dentist appointment. Flossing is one the most important things you can do for great dental health because it removes plaque and debris from the spaces of your teeth that your toothbrush can't reach. Neglecting to floss will lead to tooth decay in between the teeth, even if you are awesome at brushing.

Use the right kinds of dental products

Choose products that have the American Dental Association seal of approval on them. Use fluoride enhanced toothpaste, use floss that fits comfortably between your teeth and effectively removes plaque, and use a toothbrush that has soft bristles, and mouthwash that is ADA approved such as Listerine. If you can afford to, purchase an electric toothbrush.

Eat right

Part of good dental health is eating foods the promote health, not distract from it. So, avoid or limit foods and drinks that are high in sugar, especially juices and candies that could stick to your teeth. Also avoid dark drinks like colas, coffee, red wine and tea as these are extremely likely to stain your teeth. Foods rich in calcium, like broccoli, yogurt and milk, will help keep your calcium levels high enough to promote strong teeth.

Great dental habits start with you, and are followed up by the dentist. So give your teeth a fighting chance, practice good dental hygiene, and visit your dentist often.