Seven Simple Tips For Better Gum Health

Keep your teeth stable and prevent tooth loss through gum disease with these easy suggestions

Gum disease is widely responsible for tooth loss, along with decay. Despite this, it often comes second when people consider their oral health. Perhaps because many of us have experienced a toothache at some point in our past, the memory of it makes us focus almost entirely on our teeth, sometimes to the neglect of our gums.

Although gum disease rarely has the pain associated with it that tooth decay does, it can be equally devastating and most of us would do well to pay more attention to our gums, both in the way that we clean our teeth and also through our daily habits.

In today’s blog, the dentists at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic offer some sage but simple advice to our Canterbury patients to help them look after their gums better and avoid the problems associated with gingivitis and periodontitis.

1 – Brush your teeth – but perhaps not as you currently do if you are prone to giving them a quick brush before going to bed. Take a little more time and focus on how you brush them. Don’t just ‘flat brush’ the surface of the teeth but ensure that you also angle the bristles into the gum line so that bacteria and food particles are removed from there. Make sure too that you add dental floss to your daily regimen as this will help to remove food and bacteria from places that your toothbrush may not reach.

2 – Rinse your mouth – After each meal, don’t just wait until the next time that you brush your teeth to remove debris from your teeth and gum line. While saliva will help to remove some of this, you can speed up the process by swilling your mouth with water after each meal. Although this won’t, in itself, ensure a healthy mouth, it will help to dislodge some of the potential problems of food that is left behind. You can also use mouthwash to do this if you wish, and to freshen up your breath, but make sure that this doesn’t replace brushing and flossing. Note too, that some mouthwashes contain alcohol which could potentially dry the mouth and exacerbate the problem.

3 – Watch what you eat and drink – Most of us just eat whatever we fancy or whatever is available at that particular time. You can still do this to a large degree but make an effort to cut down on the sugary and acidic foods and drinks as these can lead to not only tooth decay but gum disease too. Use water to refresh and hydrate yourself and cut out the obviously high sugar foods too.

4 – Chew gum – Chewing gum has been shown to be quite effective for removing small pieces of food that become stuck to it. It is important that you use sugar free gum though and avoid those that contain sugar altogether. Again, this should be seen as an addition to your oral health care and should not replace brushing or flossing. Please remember too, to wrap your gum when you have finished and dispose of it responsibly.

5 – Quit smoking – This is a really obvious one and one that can badly affect your gum health. Not only that but it is a leading contributor to oral cancer which can have a significantly negative affect on your life and could even, in some cases, prove to be fatal. Smoking is expensive, addictive and harmful. There is now plenty of support available to help you to quit so please do take advantage of it.

6 – Mind your alcohol consumption – Many of us drink alcohol socially, but some of us perhaps do so a little too much or a little too often. Aside from any accident risks caused by the effects of alcohol such as breaking a tooth when falling over etc, alcohol can cause a dry mouth, especially in the morning. The period of sleep with a dry mouth provides a perfect opportunity for potentially gum disease causing bacteria to rapidly multiply. Make sure to drink in moderation and to drink water before you go to bed so that you stay well hydrated while you sleep.

7 – See the dental hygienist – Whilst most people see their dentist every six months or so for a routine check up, and any restorations that might follow from it, far fewer see their hygienist. This may be seen as an ‘optional extra’ but it is essential to ensure that your gums remain healthy. While we can do much to help with this (see above), some bacteria will remain and harden in places that we simply can’t reach. This form of hardened bacteria and minerals is known as tartar and is virtually impossible to remove on our own. By having a scale and polish twice a year which the hygienist carries out, this can be removed leaving you with not only a healthier mouth but one which feels fresher and often looks nicer too due to some surface stain removal.

If you follow these seven simple tips, we are confident that you will notice the difference in your overall oral health and should help you to avoid gum disease and cavities too. If you would like to make an appointment to see our dental hygienist, or for any other related issue, please call Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic today on 01227 463529.