National Dental Hygiene Month: 5 Daily Habits for Healthy Teeth
October is National Dental Hygiene Month, led by the American Dental Hygienists' Association. [5] The habits that matter most are simple: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth once a day, limit how often you snack on sugar and starch, and keep up with checkups and cleanings. Mouthwash can help some people, but it's optional.
1. Brush twice a day for two minutes
Use a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste, and spend about 30 seconds on each quarter of your mouth. [1, 2] Replace your brush or brush head every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. [1] Our guide to brushing correctly walks through the technique.
2. Clean between your teeth once a day
A toothbrush doesn't reach well into the spaces between teeth, where plaque collects and where gum inflammation and cavities often start. Floss, interdental brushes and water flossers all count. A 2019 Cochrane review found that adding floss or interdental brushes to brushing may reduce gum inflammation, with interdental brushes possibly doing a little better than floss. [3] The ADA's advice is to use the method you'll actually keep doing. [2] Our post on dental myths covers the flossing debate.
3. Use mouthwash only if it helps you
Mouthwash isn't a replacement for brushing and cleaning between your teeth. A therapeutic rinse, such as one with fluoride or an antibacterial ingredient, can help some people, for example those with a high cavity risk or gum inflammation. A cosmetic rinse only freshens breath for a while. [4] Ask us whether a rinse makes sense for you. If your mouth runs dry, choose an alcohol-free one.
4. Snack less often
Every time you eat or sip something with sugar or starch, plaque bacteria make acid for a while afterward. Frequent snacking and sipping sweet drinks through the day keep your teeth under acid attack, while meals with gaps between them give saliva time to recover. Water between meals helps. Our post on foods for healthy teeth has more.
5. Keep up with checkups and cleanings
Professional cleanings remove hardened tartar that brushing can't, and exams catch cavities and gum disease while they are small and often painless. Your dentist and hygienist can tell you how often you need to come in based on your own risk.
Ready for a checkup?
Our hygiene team and I see patients at 3675 Hendricks Avenue, near San Marco. New-patient visits are about two hours, normally an hour with me and an hour in hygiene. Learn more on our new patients page, call 904-398-1549 or contact us.
Sources
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Brushing your teeth. Accessed October 6, 2026.
- American Dental Association. Home oral care. Accessed October 6, 2026.
- Worthington HV, MacDonald L, Poklepovic Pericic T, et al. Home use of interdental cleaning devices, in addition to toothbrushing, for preventing and controlling periodontal diseases and dental caries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;4(4):CD012018. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012018.pub2 (retrieved via PubMed)
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Mouthwash. Accessed October 6, 2026.
- American Dental Hygienists' Association. National Dental Hygiene Month 2026. Accessed October 6, 2026.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.