Maintaining proper oral hygiene levels and keeping our teeth clean will result in healthy strong teeth. If you have a healthy mouth, half of the problems with your body will automatically disappear. If you have a healthy mouth it will mean that your gums are pink and they do not bleed, you do not suffer from bad breath constantly and the teeth are clean and free from decay and cavity. Visiting a dentist at regular intervals is very important, but apart from that you can even practice other hygiene methods at home to heave a healthy mouth. Below is list of thing that you should and you shouldn't do.

    Do's

    Brush your teeth at least twice a day or preferably after each meal with a toothpaste containing fluoride. Brushing regularly will keep your teeth clean and reduce the chances of decay. But use a soft bristled brush, a brush with hard bristles may be rough on your gums and can make them bleed.

    Floss once a day at bedtime. Toothbrush cannot reach in the tiny corners between teeth and by flossing we can make sure that the corners and crevices remain as clean as the rest of the teeth.

    Use a mouthwash on a daily basis, and preferably one that has fluoride after consulting your dentist.

    Use a tongue cleaner every day and keep the tongue clean. It is important to have the tongue as clean as the rest of the mouth.

    Eat a healthy diet, eating a healthy diet will ensure that we get enough calcium which is vital for the health of our teeth.

    Chewing medicated chewing gum is also not a bad idea.

    Drink enough quantity of milk to get your daily requirements of calcium, if you are allergic to milk and milk products take calcium supplements.

    Don'ts

    Don't eat food with too much sugar in them. Excessive sugar can decay teeth.

    Stay away from excessive coffee or soft drinks. Coffee and soft drinks have a high content of caffeine in them which can discolor your teeth.

    Do not smoke excessively. Apart from all the other health hazards that smoking causes, they also damage your teeth and gums. Smoking also makes your breath smell bad.

    Children should be kept away from mouthwashes. If children are allowed to use mouthwash they might swallow it which can present other health hazards.

    Following these simple guidelines can ensure proper oral hygiene. Those with braces need to take extra care. They need to ensure that they follow up all their appointments at the orthodontist. They should also stay away from certain food items that may be sticky or crunchy. Children especially should visit an orthodontist regularly so that any early problems can de detected and worked upon. Maintaining oral hygiene will ensure that we have shiny white teeth and healthy gums. It ensures that our natural teeth would last long into our life. But apart from that it can also prevent a host of dental illnesses and problems that can cost us plenty of money for treatment.

    保持適當的口腔衛生和牙齒潔凈才會有健康結實的牙齒，如果你有健康的口腔，身體一半的問題就會自然消失，如果你口腔健康意味著你的牙齦是粉紅色的而且不會出血，不會總有口氣的煩惱、干凈的牙齒也免于蟲蛀和空洞的發生，定期去看牙醫是非常重要的，除了這些之外在家中你還要采取一些其他的方法來保持口腔衛生，下面列舉的是你應該做什么、不應該做什么。

    應該這樣去做：

    1. 每天至少刷牙兩次，最好飯后用含氟牙膏刷牙，規律的刷牙能夠保持牙齒清潔減少蛀牙發生的機率。最好使用軟毛牙刷，硬毛牙刷會損傷牙齦，導致牙齦出血。

    2. 睡前使用牙線一次，牙膏不能夠達到牙齒間的縫隙內，牙線能夠到達牙齒的縫隙間，從而確保牙齒徹底清潔。

    3. 每天要使用漱口液，最好請教牙醫并使用含氟的漱口液。

    4. 每天使用舌清潔器，保持口腔內舌頭清潔是非常重要的。

    5. 吃健康的飲食，吃健康的飲食能確保機體攝入足夠的鈣，對牙齒的健康是非常重要的。

    6. 咀嚼醫用口香糖也是一項不錯的方法。

    7. 喝足夠量的牛奶能使你保持每天的鈣基本需要量，如果你對牛奶或奶制品過敏就要加服鈣替補劑。

    不應該這樣做：

    1. 不要吃太多含糖食物，太多的糖能腐蝕牙齒。

    2. 遠離過量的咖啡和軟飲料，咖啡和軟飲料含有很多的咖啡堿能夠使牙齒變色。

    3. 不要過多的吸煙，吸煙除了能引起其他的健康問題外，還能損害你的牙齒和牙齦，吸煙使你產生難聞的氣味。

    4. 孩子們最好不要使用漱口液，如果孩子們使用漱口液他們有可能將它咽下而出現其他的健康損害情況。

    按上面這些簡單的指導措施去做就能確保適當的口腔衛生，那些牙齒矯形的人還需要做特殊護理，確保按醫師約定的時間去看牙齒矯形醫師并要遠離某些食物，像有可能刺傷或使牙齒脆裂的食物，孩子們尤其應該定期去看牙齒矯形醫師以至于盡早發現問題盡早處理，保持口腔衛生能使你的牙齒潔白閃亮、牙齦健康。這樣能使牙齒伴隨我們的終生，除了這些還能夠預防牙病的發生及治療牙病所花費的大量金錢