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    Dental Care Basics

    1. Healthy Mouth

      1. Your Teeth From Birth to Adulthood How many teeth do babies and adults have? When do babies lose their baby teeth and grow permanent teeth? Find out here.
      2. Dentists and Other Oral Health Care Providers Many different types of oral health care providers could become involved in the care of your teeth, gums, and mouth.
      3. Oral Health Care Plan Good oral health involves more than just brushing. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime of use, there are steps that you should follow.
      4. Teeth and Gum Care With proper care, your teeth and gums can stay healthy throughout your life. The healthier your teeth and gums are, the less risk you have for tooth decay and gum disease.
      5. Finding a Dentist You and your dentist will be long-term oral health care partners; therefore, you should find someone you can be comfortable with.
      6. Dental Health Insurance Dental health insurance plans vary widely. You should know how your plan is designed, since this can significantly affect the plan's coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.
      7. Oral Piercings: Tongue, Lip, and Cheek While piercing the tongue, lip, or cheek may be attractive to some, there are a number of health-related risks associated with oral piercing.
    2. Brushing and Flossing

      1. Dental Care Products From toothpastes to toothbrushes to mouthwashes, get the facts you need to make informed decisions about your oral health.
      2. Fluoride Treatment Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods and water. Every day, minerals are added to and lost from a tooth's enamel layer through two processes, demineralization and remineralization.
      3. Toothpaste Options Just the number of options you have when you buy a tube of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control? Fluoride? Both?
      4. Toothbrushes: The Pros and Cons of Electric and Disposable From the time we're young, we're taught that using a toothbrush regularly is one of the best ways to keep our teeth and gums healthy. But which toothbrush is best?
    3. Dental Care for Kids

      1. Dental Health and Your Child's Teeth The following chart shows when your child's primary teeth (also called baby teeth or deciduous teeth) should erupt and shed.
      2. Nutrition and Your Child's Teeth The best thing you can do as a parent is to teach your child to make healthy food choices. Here are some tooth-friendly foods to serve your children along with some other tips.
      3. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Tooth decay in infants and very young children is often referred to as baby bottle tooth decay.
      4. Your Child's First Visit to the Dentist It is generally recommended that a child be seen by a dentist by the age of 1 or within 6 months after his or her first tooth comes in.
      5. Tooth Development in Children Find out when your child will begin to develop primary teeth, molars, and permanent teeth.
      6. Brushing and Flossing Children's Teeth In children, teeth should be cleaned as soon as they emerge. By starting early, your baby gets used to the daily routine.
    4. Dental Care for Seniors

      1. Oral Hygiene for Seniors Age in and of itself is not a dominant or sole factor in determining oral health. However, certain medical conditions, such as arthritis in the hands and fingers, may make brushing or flossing teeth difficult to impossible to perform. Drugs can also affect oral health and may make a change in your dental treatment necessary.
      2. Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Dental Care Get answers to some common questions seniors may have about their oral care.
      3. Denture Problems WebMD takes a look at common denture problems and how they can be treated or prevented.
      4. Caring for Dentures Proper denture care is important for both the health of your dentures and mouth. Here are some tips.

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