Brush for two to three minutes, at least twice a day, with fluoridated toothpaste.
Floss daily to remove plaque from places your toothbrush can't reach.
Eat a healthy diet to provide the nutrients necessary (vitamins A and C, in particular) to prevent gum disease.
Avoid cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, which may contribute to gum disease and oral cancer.
Exercise preventive care and schedule regular dental checkups ” the surest way to detect early signs of periodontal disease.
Saliva, a helpful diagnostic toolYour doctor can collect and test saliva to detect for a variety of substances. For example, cortisol levels in saliva are used to test for stress responses in newborn children. And fragments of certain bone-specific proteins may be useful in monitoring bone loss in women and men prone to osteoporosis. Certain cancer markers are also detectable in saliva.Routine saliva testing can also measure illegal drugs, environmental toxins, hormones and…
