When you get your picture taken, everyone says, "Say cheese! Smile!" So you do - you open your mouth and show your teeth. When you see the picture, you see a happy person looking back at you. The healthier those teeth are, the happier you look. Why is that?

It's because your teeth are important in many ways. If you take care of them, they'll help take care of you. Strong, healthy teeth help you chew the right foods to help you grow. They help you speak clearly and yes, they help you look your best.

Why Healthy Teeth Are Important

How does taking care of your teeth help with all those things? Taking care of your teeth helps prevent plaque (say: plak), which is a clear film that sticks to your teeth. The film itself may not sound so bad, but it's very sticky and it acts like a magnet for bacteria (say: bak-teer-ee-uh) and sugar. Just like ants at a picnic, the bacteria go crazy breaking the sugar down into acids. These acids eat away at the tooth enamel and this can cause cavities.

Plaque also causes gingivitis (say: jin-ji-vie-tis), which is gum disease (this can make your gums red and sore). Your gums are those soft pink tissues in your mouth that hold your teeth in place. Before long, the cavities and gums can become very sore, eating may be more difficult and you might not feel like smiling so much.

How You Can Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Brush at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bed. If you can, brush after lunch or after sweet snacks. Brushing properly breaks down plaque. Be sure to brush not just the front of your teeth, but the sides and back of them, too. Brush away from your gums.

This helps to keep your gums healthy, too and take your time. Spend at least 3 minutes each time you brush. If you have trouble keeping track of the time, use an egg timer or play a recording of a song you like to help pass the time.

Be sure that your toothbrush has soft bristles (the package the brush comes in will tell you if they're soft) and that you get a new toothbrush every 3 months. Floss your teeth, too. It feels weird the first few times you do it, but pretty soon you'll be a pro.

Slip the dental floss in between each tooth and up along the gum line. The floss gets rid of the food that's hidden where your toothbrush can't get it. It's also important to visit the dentist twice a year. Besides checking for signs of cavities or gum disease, the dentist will help keep your teeth extra clean and he or she can help you learn the best way to brush and floss.

It's not just brushing and flossing that keeps your teeth healthy - you need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Remember, the plaque on your teeth is just waiting for that sugar to arrive. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink milk instead of soda and don't forget to smile!

Before Toothpaste Was Invented

We're lucky that we know so much now about taking care of our teeth. Long ago, people's teeth would hurt and rot. To get rid of a toothache, they had their teeth pulled out. Finally people learned that cleaning their teeth was important, but they didn't have toothpaste right away. While you're swishing the minty paste around your mouth, think about what people used long ago to clean teeth:

• ground-up chalk or charcoal
• lemon juice
• ashes (you know, the stuff that's left over after a fire)
• tobacco and honey

Today there are many toothpaste choices. Look for one with fluoride, which makes your teeth strong and fights cavities. You don't need a lot of toothpaste, though; just squeeze out a bit the size of a pea. It's not a good idea to swallow the toothpaste, either, so be sure to rinse and spit.

It was only about 100 years ago that someone finally created a minty cream to clean teeth. Not long after that, the toothpaste tube was invented, so people could squeeze the paste right onto the toothbrush! It was during World War II that brushing became popular. The Indian Army gave brushes and toothpaste to the soldiers and they learned to brush twice a day.