Prevention

What you can do to maintain oral health

• Eat a well-balanced diet to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need. And try to keep the sugar and starch intake low to protect your teeth and to avoid excess calories.
• Avoid tobacco. If you smoke, you not only raise your risk of heart or lung disease, but the tar and nicotine in cigarettes puts you at a higher risk for gum disease.
• Check your gums regularly. Look for redness, puffiness, pain, or bleeding.
• See your dentist regularly, whether or not you are experiencing problems.
• Drink fluoridated water and use fluoride toothpaste to protect your teeth from decay.
  
• Practice good oral hygiene.
  
• See your dentist regularly, even if you have dentures. Professional care helps to maintain the overall health of the teeth and mouth, and your dentist can detect some problems in their early stages.
  
• Limit alcohol.
  
• If you experience a sudden change in taste or smell, see your dentist.
  
• If your medications dry out your mouth, ask your doctor if there are other drugs that can be substituted. Even if there is no substitute, drink plenty of water, chew sugarless gum, and avoid tobacco and alcohol. ⁷
  
  7. http://www.ada.org