Dental and oral health is an essential part of your overall health and well-being. Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental cavities and gum disease, and has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is a lifelong commitment. The earlier you learn proper oral hygiene habits such as brushing, flossing, and limiting your sugar intake the easier it’ll be to avoid costly dental procedures and long-term health issues. Your dentist might tap or scrape at your teeth with various tools or instruments to assist with a diagnosis. A technician at the dentist’s office will take dental X-rays of your mouth, making sure to get an image of each of your teeth. Be sure to tell your dentist if you’re pregnant. Women who are pregnant shouldn’t have X-rays