It may seem counterintuitive, but gentle bristles work better. “A hard toothbrush may cause you to brush your gums away,” says celebrity cosmetic dentist Bill Dorfman, DDS. And don’t use a sawing motion when brushing, either. Instead, point your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush using an up-and-down motion.

That pen cap you nervously chew on all day could be causing serious damage to your chompers' enamel. “Your teeth weren’t made to chew on pens and pen caps,” Dorfman says. “You should not put things in your mouth that aren’t meant to be eaten.” The solution? Awareness. Most people don’t realize that they’re chewing on anything, says Dorfman. If you can’t kick the habit, take the advice of parents with thumb-suckers and paint a bitter-tasting substance onto the offending object.

Flossing sticks may seem like the perfect toothpick-floss hybrid, but they don’t offer enough flexibility, which is key to successful flossing. “Traditional floss enables the user to adapt the floss to the curvature of the tooth,” says periodontist Nicholas Toscano, DDS. “With floss sticks you’re using the same piece of string and essentially just moving the bacteria around, not really removing it.” If you like the feel of floss sticks, try switching to interproximal brushes, although you must have sufficient space between your teeth in order to use them, says Toscano.

If you want to avoid staining your teeth with vibrant food and drink—such as red wine and espresso—moderation is key, says Dorfman. “Have coffee, but don’t have 20 cups a day,” he says. “You’re bathing your teeth in this really, really strong color. It doesn’t hurt them, it just makes them look bad.” If you can’t resist another glass, consider professionally whitening your teeth with a Zoom! or BriteSmile treatment.

While you should always stick to a rigorous oral care routine like brushing, flossing and visiting a dentist regularly for cleanings, it is even more important to do so when you’re pregnant, on birth control or going through menopause. The hormone progesterone dilates blood vessels—causing inflammation—and slows down the repair of collagen, the protein that supports gums, says Robert H. Gregg II, DDS, president of the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry. Hormonal changes don’t cause gum disease, but they do make women more vulnerable to it. Check in with your dentist if you experience any flare-ups during these times.

Malnutrition is a contributing factor of gum disease. Keep your teeth in tact by getting at least 180 mg of vitamin C a day—the amount found in about three oranges. “Vitamin C can help repair damage and maintain the connective tissue that keeps mouths healthy,” says Gregg. “Those who fail to get the recommended daily allowance are 1.5 times more likely to develop severe gingivitis than those who don’t.”

In case you need another reason to take your last drag: “Smokers exhibit bone loss and gum recession even without gum disease,” says Gregg. Risk increases depending on how many cigarettes you smoke a day but is even affected by secondhand smoke. Help keep your teeth and gums in tact by abandoning tobacco. Resources are available at smokefree.gov. And remember: Check in with your dentist upwards of four times a year for cleanings until you kick that bad habit in the butt.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t forget to brush! Stress produces cortisol, a hormone that’s like candy for gingivitis-causing bacteria, says Bloore. Surgical procedures such as the LANAP protocol (a laser treatment that eliminates the diseased portions of gums and can stimulate growth factors) can zap pathogens, but don’t let it get to that point. Schedule regular relaxation sessions, such as yoga, meditation or massage and continue to brush, floss and visit your dentist regularly.