Healthy gums are essential for healthy teeth and optimal oral health. Plus, proper gum care is important to prevent inflammation and bleeding. If you neglect your gums, they can quickly cause oral health problems, such as bad breath, illness, and tooth loss. To keep your gums healthy, it’s important to incorporate thorough gum care into your daily dental routine.
The team at Hometown Family Dental Centers in Fayetteville, Raeford, and Vass, North Carolina, want to help you keep your gums healthy. Our experts can successfully treat gum disease, but by scheduling regular dental exams and cleanings, you can stop gum disease in its tracks and keep your gums in top-notch shape.
If you neglect your gums, you put yourself at a higher risk of gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums. If gingivitis goes untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, a severe condition that can lead to tooth loss.
A good oral care routine is easy to follow and is the best way to protect your teeth and gums and keep your breath fresh. These tips can help keep your gums healthy.
Healthy teeth are important for healthy gums, and so is proper brushing technique. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles because hard, stiff bristles can irritate and damage sensitive gum tissue. Also, change your toothbrush every three months. The longer you use it, the more bacteria can accumulate on it. Less bacteria means lower risk for gum inflammation.
Using the right brushing technique is also an excellent way to keep gums healthy. Apply very light pressure, and move your toothbrush in a circular motion. This loosens the plaque better than scrubbing and removes the leftover food from between teeth. Use your toothbrush to gently massage your gums at least once a day to stimulate blood flow.
Use dental floss to clean the spaces between your teeth to maintain healthy gums. The spaces between teeth are particularly difficult to access with a brush, leaving bacteria and food residue to collect in hard-to-reach pockets.
Floss at least once a day for maximum gum health. This prevents bacteria from inflaming your gums and prevents plaque and tartar from building up from food residues.
Quitting a tobacco habit is difficult but essential for healthy gums. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says smoking weakens your immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fight off gum infection.
If you’re a smoker, you may already notice that it’s more difficult for damaged gum tissue to heal. Smoking also causes your gums to have poor blood flow, and it plays a role in gum recession.
Choosing the right tools can prevent or reduce gingivitis, reduce plaque, and hamper tartar buildup. Using a fluoride toothpaste with the ADA seal of acceptance is vital.
Swishing mouthwash around in your mouth helps get rid of food debris and particles hanging around your mouth — even after you brush. Find the ADA seal signifying a safe and effective mouthwash, and include it in your daily oral care routine.
Oral health depends on regular dental cleanings, so visit our specialists consistently to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout the year. We see patients of all ages for dental exams, routine cleanings, fillings for cavity repairs, and cosmetic dentistry at Hometown Family Dental Centers.
Early detection and correction of dental problems is critical to keep your teeth and gums healthy. We can address warning signals such as bleeding gums, bad breath, or loose teeth. Call us, or use our online request tool, to make an appointment today for professional teeth cleaning to maintain your beautiful smile and healthy gums.
