Technique beats effort
Most people brush too hard and too fast. Use a soft-bristled brush, tilt it at about forty-five degrees toward the gumline, and move it in small circles or short strokes, a couple of teeth at a time. Scrubbing back and forth with a firm brush wears grooves into enamel and pushes the gums back, and receded gums do not return. An electric brush with a two-minute timer is a fair investment if you tend to rush. Brush the tongue as well, which is where much of bad breath lives.
When you finish, spit but do not rinse. The film of toothpaste left behind keeps fluoride on the enamel, and rinsing with water washes it off. After anything acidic, such as citrus, soda, wine or coffee, wait thirty to sixty minutes before brushing, because acid softens enamel for a while and brushing then scrubs it away.
Flossing that does something
Snapping floss down between the teeth and back up cleans almost nothing. Take about eighteen inches, wrap the floss around the side of one tooth in a C shape, slide it just under the gumline, and rub up and down a few times before doing the neighboring tooth. Gums that bleed when you start flossing are inflamed, not injured, and the bleeding usually stops within a week or two of daily flossing. Bleeding that continues past that point deserves a dentist's look. Small interdental brushes and water flossers are acceptable substitutes if string defeats you.
What actually causes cavities
Frequency of sugar matters more than quantity. Every sip or snack starts an acid attack of twenty minutes or more, so a soda nursed across an afternoon does more damage than the same soda drunk with lunch. Mouthwash is optional and replaces nothing.
Paying for it
A cleaning and exam without insurance commonly runs one to two hundred dollars. Dental insurance usually covers two cleanings a year in full and then caps what it will pay annually, often at one to two thousand dollars, so read the cap before major work. Dental schools and community health centers offer supervised care at much lower prices. A filling caught early costs a fraction of the root canal and crown it becomes when ignored.
Note A permanent tooth that gets knocked out can often be saved. Hold it by the crown, rinse it briefly without scrubbing, push it back into the socket or carry it in milk, and reach a dentist within the hour.
