Brushing and flossing are essential to taking care of your teeth, but did you know it's just as important to maintain healthy gums?
Nearly half of adults over 30 have some type of gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease can cause permanent damage to your teeth.
Gum disease is linked to multiple health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. Keeping your gums healthy is a good step toward overall health and preventing gum disease.
Maintain healthy gums with our six simple pro tips.
Floss Your Teeth Every Day
A saying among dentists goes, “you don’t have to floss all your teeth…just the ones you want to keep.” Flossing is essential to healthy teeth because it eliminates food and plaque your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing is one way to have healthy teeth, but it is vital to healthy gums.
When you floss, you don’t just remove particles between your teeth. You also remove bits of food that collect at the base of your teeth near your gums. That prevents the buildup of plaque and tartar.
Brushing Your Teeth Is How to Keep Your Gums Healthy
The general rule is to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes. This is important for clean, healthy teeth, and it can help keep your gums healthy. When you brush your teeth regularly, you are also cleaning your gums.
Brushing also cleans plaque that accumulates around the gums. Untreated plaque can harden into tough-to-remove tartar; brushing is a two-for-one deal that keeps your whole mouth healthier.
Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash is great for giving your mouth a clean, fresh feeling. But it’s also helpful for keeping your gums healthy. A good therapeutic mouthwash will help remove bits of food, bacteria, and plaque you’ve loosened through brushing and flossing and effectively removes them from your mouth.
Most mouthwashes also kill the surface bacteria on your gums, reducing their growth.
Stop Using Tobacco Products
Smoking and using smokeless tobacco products cause severe damage to your teeth and gums. If you aren’t a smoker, don’t start. If you are, try a smoking cessation program to kick the habit.
The damage to your gums from tobacco products can be difficult to repair because smoking weakens your immune system.
Use Fluoride Toothpaste
The supermarket shelves are filled with all kinds of toothpaste. Some claim to whiten your teeth. Others are intended for sensitive teeth.
You may even find flavored, foaming, or sparkling toothpaste. The key is to use toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride helps protect teeth and gums by fighting harmful bacteria and strengthening the tooth surface against acid attacks from foods and cavity-causing bacteria.
See Your Dentist
The person who knows best about how to have healthy teeth and gums is your dentist. If you live in the Gastonia area, visit Bass Dentistry. We can help with regular cleanings to keep your gums healthy or more advanced treatment to address dental health or cosmetic concerns.
Together, we can create a treatment plan to keep your gums and teeth healthy for a lifetime.
Healthy Gums,
Healthy Life
If dental health is important to you and your family, take steps to know how to keep your gums healthy. Gum health is essential to maintaining healthy teeth and overall good dental hygiene. Brush and floss multiple times per day, avoid tobacco products, and use a therapeutic mouthwash.
If you want to know more about maintaining a healthy smile, book an appointment today with Bass Dentistry.
