A simple five-step formula is really the answer to how to get healthy gums, but if you do suffer from gum disease, our friendly team at Top Health Dental can help you restore your gums. Here are our top tips for healthy gums.
Maintaining Healthy Gums
Your teeth and gums are quite easy to maintain if you follow your dentist’s recommendations. You should brush and floss your teeth twice a day and rinse your mouth after brushing and eating. To keep your mouth healthy from the inside, you also need to follow a nutritious diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. And, in order to prevent the onset of gum disease and tooth decay, you should visit your dentist on a regular basis.
Why Healthy Gums Are Important
Most of us pay attention to the condition of our teeth – after all, we see them in the mirror and in photographs. But we often forget that its gum health that keeps our teeth healthy.
Furthermore sufferers of gingivitis and periodontitis carry a higher risk of diseases like heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer.
Unhealthy gums lead to gum disease, which is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. Gum disease develops when plaque builds up on the teeth, usually as a result of not brushing and flossing – or not visiting your dentist regularly. Your job is to remove plaque build-up through good dental hygiene, and your dentist will step in with professional cleaning and will remove the tartar from your teeth.
The Other Reason You Need To Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Very often gum disease is present without symptoms – so many patients aren’t aware that they have it. There are symptoms and warning signs but they don’t all necessarily present.
If you experience
- Red, swollen or bleeding gums
- Consistent bad breath
- Receding gums
- Loose gums
You should see your dentist as soon as possible. If you do have gum disease and leave it untreated it can progress to a more advanced stage of periodontitis. Over time this can lead to periodontal pockets and swollen gum tissue that causes tooth loss.
Tips For Healthy Gums
It is possible for gum disease to develop even with regular brushing – if you aren’t using the correct technique. Here are some tips on how to improve your brushing technique:
Tips for better brushing
- Brush at a 45-degree angle to your gum line. Use gentle but thorough strokes with a soft bristled toothbrush, making sure you brush the front and back of each tooth.
- Brush for two to three minutes.
- Use the tip of your toothbrush to clean behind your front and back teeth.
- Also remember to brush the chewing surface of your teeth, ensuring you clean the grooves of your back teeth, and this is where food can get stuck.
- Don’t forget to brush your tongue as this is where bacteria can develop, leading to bad breath.
- Get a new toothbrush at least every three to four months.
Tips for better flossing
- Flossing should be done at least once a day to eliminate plaque and food that builds up between your teeth, or in places inaccessible by your toothbrush.
- Be firm but gentle. Remember that you don’t want to do any damage to your gums.
- Floss each tooth, as well as your back teeth.
Tips for rinsing
- Antibacterial mouthwash can get rid of bacteria that develop plaque, and freshen your breath.
- You can rinse your mouth before or after brushing and flossing.
- You should hold the mouthwash in your mouth for 30 to 60 seconds, moving it around your oral cavity.
Better nutrition for healthy gums
- Eating a varied diet is good for your oral health and overall wellbeing. Food with high sugar content and starchy food (that gets stuck in your teeth) should be kept to a minimum.
- Examples of snacks to avoid include dried fruit, chewing gum, cakes, biscuits, sweets and chocolate, chips and crackers.
Regular visits to your dentist
- You should visit your dentist every six months. Not only will your dentist inspect your mouth and teeth, he or she will also inspect the soft tissue in your mouth. Your dentist will inspect your gums for swelling or pain and check that your gums are a healthy pink colour.
- In the event that you do have gum disease, early intervention gives you more treatment options.
- Early stages of gum disease can be treated through deep cleaning, whereby your dentist will clean beneath your gum line. Another form of treatment is called scaling, which your dentist will employ to remove tartar from above and below your gum line. Sometimes, planing is required to smooth out your tooth roots and help them re-attach to your teeth. Other times, your dentist will also recommend antibiotics to treat the infection and help to restore healthy gums.
Do you still have questions about how to maintain healthy gums? Please contact us now for an appointment: (02) 8776 3232