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Adult oral health

Looking after your teeth and gums is important for maintaining good overall health. Creating a good oral health routine is easy and can prevent tooth decay and help you spot the signs of mouth cancer early.

What can I do?

There are lots of simple things that you can do to look after your oral health:

  • Brush your teeth with at least 1450 parts per million (ppm) fluoride toothpaste twice a day
  • Eat a healthy balanced diet and limit the amount of sugary drinks and food you have – visit our Eat Well webpage for more information
  • Stop smoking – visit our stop smoking page  for more information
  • Restrict the amount of alcohol you drink – visit our alcohol reduction page or more information
  • Visit a dentist regularly
  • Self-check for signs of mouth cancer. You can learn how to do a 2-minute self-check on YouTube.

Finding an NHS dentist

Do you need urgent dental care?

If you need urgent dental care and do not have a dentist, please call 111 or visit NHS 111 online.