Take care of your teeth and gums

Here's how you and your children can have healthy teeth and keep trips to the dentist to a minimum.

Brush your teeth twice a day

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Floss between your teeth

Floss or use an interdental brush every day to remove food, debris and plaque lodged between your teeth.

Cut down on sugar, and other lifestyle tips

Have a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, not smoking and limiting your alcohol and sugar intake. It's good for your whole body, including your teeth, gums and mouth.

Brush baby teeth as soon as they come through

Start brushing a baby's teeth as soon as they come through.

Here are tips on looking after your baby's teeth, including the importance of avoiding sweetened foods and drinks.

Get children into a teeth-cleaning routine

Help your child have healthy teeth for life by having a good dental health routine.

Read more about how to look after your children's teeth.

Straighten crooked teeth with braces

More and more teenagers (and some adults) are having braces and orthodontics to straighten their teeth.

Find out more about braces and orthodontics.

Have regular dental check-ups

Have regular check-ups with your dentist. Do not put off going for a check-up. Detecting problems early can mean they're easier to treat.

If problems are not treated, they may lead to damage that's harder, or even impossible, to repair.

There are a wide range of dental treatments available. Some, such as fillings and root canal treatment, are readily available on the NHS.

Others, such as cosmetic dentistry, are only available on the NHS in certain circumstances.

Find out more about dental treatments and dental check-ups.

For information on who can get free dentistry and what to expect from your dentist, see how to find an NHS dentist.