Self-Care
Make dental health self-care a priority
There are three self-care activities women need to be doing at every age.
Make dental health self-care a priority with once daily flossing, twice daily brushing, and once-a-month Head-Oral-Neck (HON) exams.
How to do your own HON self-exam
You already do a monthly breast self-examination: now add HON to the list, as well.
It takes under a minute to do your monthly HON exam. Here's how:
HON self-exam
01
Look at your head and neck in a mirror. See if anything looks abnormal as you tilt your head from left to right. Feel your neck. Make sure it's free from unusual or painful lumps.
02
Swallow. It shouldn't feel as if there's something stuck in your throat. If you have hoarseness that's not going away, that's also a problem.
03
Look inside your mouth and under your tongue. Notice if there is anything unusual and report it to your doctor or dentist right away.
Get to know your mouth, head, and neck by taking time out to do your own monthly HON exams.
Make regular HON screenings a part of your life.
How to brush your teeth
Twice a day for two minutes: that's all the time it takes. If you need a refresher course on how to brush your teeth, The American Dental Association (ADA) can show you how in a one-minute video.
How to floss your teeth
There's an old saying: "only floss the teeth you want to keep!" Since you want to keep all of your teeth, floss at least once a day for one minute. For a step-by-step guide on how to floss, visit the ADA tutorial.