How to Have Better Gum Health

Healthy gums are an essential component of oral hygiene. While it can be easy to overlook the gums and instead focus on the pearly whites they host, it is crucial that you avoid this approach. Healthy gums are required for healthy teeth, after all!

If you’re wondering how to have better gum health, the dental experts at BAFDentistry have put together the following tips. Follow these methods, and you’ll be able to boost the overall health of your gums and teeth in no time!

What are the signs of unhealthy gums?

Before getting into how to improve gum health, it’s important to know what signs to look for in terms of unhealthy gums – aka gum disease. Symptoms can start as mild, so it’s easy to disregard minor swelling or reddening of the gums. However, these will progress if left untreated, which could lead to serious oral issues such as tooth decay and even tooth loss.

Gingivitis is the most common and mildest type of gum disease. Symptoms of gingivitis include swollen, red gums that are prone to bleeding. Bad breath can also be a problem, but pain or tooth loosening isn’t typically associated with gingivitis. Generally, this disease can be treated at home with good dental care.

If left untreated, however, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis. This condition is where plaque and tartar buildup stretch below the gumline. Advanced periodontitis can lead to deep pockets between the teeth and the gum’s connective tissues. As the disease progresses, it can lead to receding gums, loose teeth, and other symptoms.

Ideally, you must try to prevent gum disease if you want healthy gums and a healthy mouth overall. To help you do this effectively, our dentists have listed the following ways to improve gum health.

Brush regularly and properly

It’s the most obvious starting point. Yet, due to its importance, we cannot understate how vital it is that your brush your teeth the right way. It may seem self-explanatory, but here are a few pointers to keep in mind for your daily brushing routine:

• Brush twice a day: Don’t just brush your teeth either in the morning or at night. You should brush your teeth at leasttwice a day.
• The right toothbrush: A soft-bristle toothbrush is recommended. It is also important that you don’t stick with the same brush for too long. It should be replaced every three months or so or as soon as the brush’s bristles begin to fray.
• Toothpaste: There are many different toothpaste options available. Whichever one you select, ensure it’s a fluoride toothpaste.
• Brushing technique: Don’t be too aggressive with your toothbrush movements. These should be short strokes. Additionally, brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Also, make sure you don’t rush the brushing process – two minutes is recommended when brushing your teeth.

Select the right toothpaste

As mentioned, the toothpaste you choose is important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Still, with so many options on store shelves, ranging from whitening products to charcoal toothpaste, it can quickly become confusing as to which is the best for oral hygiene.

There are two points to remember when selecting toothpaste. One: the product contains fluoride. Two: the packaging features the ADA seal of approval. If both of these points are covered, you’ve got suitable toothpaste for the job.

Floss daily

It is true: flossing can be a fiddly process. It’s also something that many people don’t do. After all, they brush their teeth every day twice a day – why would they need to floss as well?

The reason is that flossing helps remove any food and plaque that sits between your teeth and gums. It can be difficult for your toothbrush to reach these places, so flossing helps to pick up the slack. It’s also necessary to remove the potential for tartar buildup.

If tartar, which is a bacteria buildup that’s rough and hard, were to form, you wouldn’t be able to remove this on your own. It would require the assistance of a dentist. If tartar isn’t removed, it may result in gum disease.

Use mouthwash

Similar to flossing, it is easy for people to overlook mouthwash as part of their oral care routine – but therapeutic mouthwash can help improve oral health in numerous ways.

Firstly, it’s known to prevent gum disease from occurring. It can also reduce plaque buildup on your teeth, along with slowing down the speed of tartar buildup. Furthermore, mouthwash can help remove food particles before they form into plaque or tartar.

As with toothpaste, ensure that the ADA seal is present on any bottle of mouthwash you plan to buy. Why? Well, this seal demonstrates that the manufacturer has created a safe and effective mouthwash.

Take care when rinsing your mouth

Do you rinse your mouth after brushing? It’s something that many people do. However, doing so can flush away your toothpaste’s all-important fluoride, which can lower its effectiveness. To help protect your teeth after using mouthwash, be careful with the rinsing process.

On the other hand, it can be beneficial to rinse your mouth after eating. This can wash away food and bacteria that exist in your mouth, doing so before they transform into plaque or tartar.

Watch what you eat

You understand how food and drink can affect your weight and general health. Well, it’s the same for your oral health. Consume the wrong things too often, and this can be detrimental to your teeth and gums.

Carbonated soft drinks, sugary sweets, alcohol, and starchy foods should be avoided when possible. As for what you should add to your diet, high-fiber fruit and vegetables make sense for many reasons. In this case, they assist with cleaning out your mouth. Bacteria can be reduced by drinking either black or green tea, while dairy products and sugar-free gum help improve saliva production.

Regular checkups

Naturally, it’s something you would expect dentists to say, but regular checkups are imperative to maintain healthy gums. Aside from receiving a professional cleaning of the teeth and gums with each visit, your dentist can spot gum-related problems early on. Early detection can help protect your teeth and your gum line and ensure your oral health is in tip-top shape!