5 Tips to Keep Gums Healthy and Avoid Disease

When it comes to oral health, people very often focus on their teeth and forget about the gums. That is a mistake, and if your gums aren’t healthy you could end up with gum disease that can in turn cause tooth loss, bleeding, and a whole lot of other issues.

The good news is that it really is not all that complicated to keep your gums healthy and avoid disease. If you want to know the best way to do that, there are five tips that you should definitely follow.

1. Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly and Properly

If you want your gums to stay healthy, you need to brush regularly. Brushing will help to clear up any plaque buildup, reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth, and loosen up any food particles.

It would be best to brush at least twice a day, and if possible after mealtimes. Ideally you should use the proper brushing technique too, and make sure that you thoroughly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.

Additionally you should floss your teeth to get rid of any food that may be stuck between them.

2. Only Use a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush

Unless your dentist recommends otherwise, you should only use a soft-bristled toothbrush. It will make it less likely to injure your gums when you brush, especially compared to a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush.

Keep in mind that even with a soft-bristled toothbrush you could injure your gums if you brush too vigorously or with too much force. At the end of the day your goal is to clean your teeth, not scrub them.

3. Use Therapeutic Mouthwash

Did you know that there are two types of mouthwash: Cosmetic and therapeutic? Many people use cosmetic mouthwash that is designed to temporarily control bad breath, but if you want to keep your gums healthy you should use therapeutic mouthwash that kills bacteria.

If you want you can ask your dentist to recommend a therapeutic mouthwash for you to use. Some may only be available with prescriptions.

4. Eat Right (And Drink Right Too)

It should come as no surprise that the food and drinks you put in your mouth will affect it in many ways. Combined with the bacteria in your mouth it is one of the main reasons why plaque forms on your teeth – which in turn causes gum disease.

To keep your gums healthy you should avoid eating food and drinks that are starchy and sugary. If you do happen to eat them, try to make it a point to brush and floss quickly after you do.

Overall you should try to make sure that you eat a balanced diet. It should provide you with all the nutrients and minerals that you need – especially those that can help your gums and teeth such as calcium and Vitamin C.

5. Don’t Skip Your Dental Checkup

One of the most important steps to keep your gums healthy is to make sure you don’t skip your regular dental checkup. At least once every six months you must visit a dentist to have your teeth checked.

During the checkup, your dentist will probably give you a dental cleaning that will clear up any plaque that you’ve missed and remove tartar too. On top of that if there are early signs your dentist will be able to start gum disease treatment to prevent it from getting worse.

It should be noted that if you notice that your gums are inflamed, bleeding, and sore – you should make an appointment and visit your dentist. The earlier you identify the signs of gum disease and have it treated, the better off you’ll be.

Final Words

If you follow these five tips, you should definitely be able to avoid gum disease. However if you do notice any issues with your gums – be sure to get them checked early. As with anything related to your oral health, it is best to play it safe.