The best way to keep your teeth healthy and looking and feeling their best is proper brushing and flossing. Of course, regular dental appointments are important, too. Go every six months, or right away if you have tooth pain or loose teeth.

However, if you've already got healthy teeth and gums, and just want to make sure they stay that way... and maybe look a little brighter while you're at it, then make sure you're taking your dentists advice about how to care for your teeth properly at home. A lot of us "know" what to do, but don't always do it!

First, we all know that taking care of your smile is taking care of your health. With neglect, you could develop serious health and medical problems including tooth decay, receding gums, periodontitis, and a number of other scary sounding conditions.

It's critical to see a professional on a regular basis to keep an eye on your teeth and gums and make sure they are healthy.

When I've been to the dentist in the past, they've always had to work at scraping away the plaque in the areas I tend to brush poorly. I definitely don't like that sound of metal scratching at my teeth!

The better you brush, the less of the scraping you should have to sit through. Don't let that plaque form in the first place if you can avoid it!

Removing plaque is something that can be done only at the dentist. You can't really remove it yourself once it's formed. That's one of the great things about brushing with Sonicare brushes. They don't allow as much plaque to build up, and therefore, you won't have to sit through as much scraping when you're at your next dental exam.

You can see that good care of your teeth is not just good for oral health, it's good for your whole body.

Using a Sonicare toothbrush has really helped cut back on the amount of scraping that I have had to endure. My teeth look whiter and feel cleaner when I rub them after brushing my teeth. I hesitated to get one because of the cost, but after I heard every one in my family raving about them, and then my dentist said they were a good investment, I decided to take the plunge and go ahead and get one. I'm glad I did.

It's a powerful combination. My teeth were definitely cleaner on my next visit. They felt cleaner, too. Even better than looking good, I know they're staying healthy.