Oral health is a crucial part of your body’s general wellbeing that you must maintain. Many people often focus on aesthetics—whitening of teeth to achieve a beautiful smile. This is where you go wrong! Maintaining oral hygiene and healthy gums is much more than that.
When it comes to your oral health, maintaining healthy gums is equally important. Since most gum diseases are painless, you can easily overlook them. Most of these gum diseases are caused by plaque which eventually leads to tooth decay and gingivitis. Whenever you feel or see anything unusual with your teeth or gums, it is advisable to visit a dentist immediately to avoid further damages.
If you do not address gum disease at its earlier stage, it can easily destroy the bones and tissues anchoring the teeth, called periodontitis.
According to the American Dental Association, the signs of gum diseases include;
- Bad breath even after brushing your teeth
- Loose molars and premolars
- Bleeding gums
- Swollen-reddish gums
Thankfully, if you do your part in keeping the health of your gums, you will always have a healthy mouth.
Stated below are four ways to maintain healthy gums.
Brush Your Teeth RegularlyÂ
Regularly brushing your teeth is the easiest, most practical way to maintain your mouth’s oral hygiene. As much as it sounds easy, many people do it the wrong way. American Dentist Association recommends that you use a soft brush and an approved toothpaste.
A brittle toothbrush can damage your gums and cause bleeding gums. When brushing your teeth, you should also ensure that the toothpaste and toothbrush reach all corners of your teeth and gums. Brushing will remove food debris in the mouth and prevent the buildup of plaque which subsequently causes gum diseases.
Visit The Dentist Regularly To Get Professional Mouth Cleaning
How often do you visit your dentist? And for what reasons? According to a dental survey done in 2018, 42% of people in America admitted that they only see the dentist when they have a dental problem. It is sad because 85% of the population understands the importance of a regular checkup. But at the same time, the study further revealed that 47.2% of the total population have advanced periodontitis due to ignorance.
Regular checkups by a professional dentist are essential since they can detect any signs of dental infection early. Early detection helps in treating the disease before it spreads to other parts of the gums.
The dentist will perform dental cleaning, getting rid of tartar and other bacteria in the mouth. For healthy gums, experts recommend you should do dental twice a year.
Furthermore, the dentist will give you experts’ advice on the best toothbrush and toothpaste to use.
Use Therapeutic Mouthwash
While the emphasis is on the importance of brushing after every meal, sometimes it is impractical. When in the office and when travelling, finding the appropriate time to brush your teeth may be challenging, but you should always look for a way to take care of your oral hygiene regardless of your circumstances.
Instead of brushing, you can clean your teeth using a therapeutic mouthwash. A therapeutic mouthwash neutralizes the action of bacteria by removing sugars in the mouth. It is an efficient and convenient approach as it deprives the bacteria of much-needed starch. And all you have to do is gaggle using the mouthwash, which keeps your gums healthy, teeth clean and leaves you with a confident smile free from bad breath. Easy!
Floss Daily
According to the ADA, regular flossing of your teeth is vital in maintaining healthy gums. It removes food particles that a toothbrush cannot remove. Additionally, flossing helps remove plaque which can cause tartar over time. Tartar is an accumulation of bacteria on the enamel of the teeth.
The ADA states that plaque and tartar cause gum diseases. Just like brushing teeth, you should make flossing a habit. There is no set time for flossing your teeth, but doing it at night before bed is best. Nighttime is when the bacteria are most active since the mouth remains shut for the longest time. Now you know!
The gum is an integral part of the mouth. If the gum gets any infection, you risk losing all your teeth since it has all the nerves supplying blood to the teeth. Therefore, it is essential to clean them regularly, just like you do with your teeth. Having this in mind, when you realize anything unusual; bleeding or even painful gums, see a dentist as soon as possible to get them checked.
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