You’ll also want to clean between your teeth with dental floss (a special string for cleaning your teeth) at least once a day. It’s also important to visit your favorite tooth experts and your dentist and dental hygienist. Brush at least twice a day with a fluorinated toothpaste that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance. Professional cleaning is usually performed by a dental hygienist, a specially trained and licensed dental professional. Good dental hygiene is all about staying healthy, not vanity. Dental caries (tooth decay) can attack the teeth at any age. The gums and bones supporting the teeth are subject to disease. Gum disease, tooth decay and oral cancer affect nearly a third of all adults in the US. Pain is not usually an early symptom of the disease. Gum disease treatment works best before the disease spreads.