Dental Health

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Men
• Women
• Seniors
• Patient Handouts

Summary

It's important to take care of your mouth and teeth starting in childhood. If you don't, you could have problems with your teeth and gums - like cavities or even tooth loss.

Here's how to keep your mouth and teeth healthy:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• Clean between your teeth every day with floss or another type of between-the-teeth cleaner
• Snack smart - limit sugary snacks
• Don't smoke or chew tobacco
• See your dentist or oral health professional regularly

NIH: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Start Here

• Daily Tips for Good Oral Hygiene (Academy of General Dentistry)
• How Does What I Eat Affect My Oral Health? (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Mouth and Teeth: How To Keep Them Healthy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Oral Health: Brush Up on Dental Care Basics (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Take Care of Your Teeth and Gums (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
• Taking Care of Your Teeth and Mouth (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Panoramic Dental X-Ray (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Dentist Should Advise Vegetarians on Good Oral Health (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Don't Toss the Floss! The Benefits of Daily Cleaning Between Teeth (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Mouth Rinses (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Should I Floss? (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Why Is Brushing with Toothpaste Important? (Academy of General Dentistry)

Treatments and Therapies

• Minimally Invasive Dentistry (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Plaque: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - PDF
• Prevention of Infective (Bacterial) Endocarditis: Wallet Card (American Heart Association) - PDF

Related Issues

• Administration of Anesthesia (American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons)
• General Dentist (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Infection Control: The Use and Handling of Toothbrushes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Soaking up the Sun While Getting a Cavity Filled? (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Types of Allergic Reactions (Academy of General Dentistry)

Specifics

• Blood Thinners and Dental Care (American Academy of Oral Medicine)
• Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)
• Diabetes: Dental Tips (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) Also in Spanish
• Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body (American Dental Association) - PDF
• Oral Health and Bone Disease (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Oral Health: A Window to Your Overall Health (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Three Good Reasons to See a Dentist Before Cancer Treatment (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)

Videos and Tutorials

• Life of a Tooth: A Visual Timeline (Academy of General Dentistry)

Statistics and Research

• FastStats: Oral and Dental Health (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Oral Health Disparities as Determined by Selected Healthy People 2020 Oral Health Objectives for the United States, 2009-2010 (National Center for Health Statistics)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Dental Care (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Oral Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Oral health condition and occurrence of depression in the elderly.
• Article: Effect of perioperative oral management on the prevention of surgical...
• Article: Oral care measures for preventing nursing home-acquired pneumonia.
• Dental Health -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Glossary of Dental Terms (Academy of General Dentistry)
• Oral Health Glossary (Academy of General Dentistry)

Find an Expert

• Find a Dentist (Academy of General Dentistry)
• HRSA: Find a Health Center (Health Resources and Services Administration)
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Also in Spanish

Men

• Why Is Oral Health Important for Men? (Academy of General Dentistry)

Women

• Dental Care in Pregnancy (American College of Nurse-Midwives) - PDF
• Oral Health (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
• Tips for Good Oral Health during Pregnancy (National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center) - PDF

Seniors

• Eldercare at Home: Dental Problems (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)
• Keep Your Mouth Healthy: Oral Care for Older Adults Also in Spanish
• Older Adults and Oral Health (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Taking Care of Your Teeth and Mouth (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Dental care - adult (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Dental plaque identification at home (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Plaque: What It Is and How to Get Rid of It (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - PDF