When most people think about dental care, they think about their teeth. While preventing cavities, protecting against chips, and quickly fixing root canal problems are all essential to maintaining your oral health, preventing gum disease and maintaining healthy gums are equally important.
Once you know how to get healthy gums, you can lower your risk of developing gum disease and decrease your emergency visits to the dentist.
What Causes Unhealthy Gums?
One of the leading causes of unhealthy gums is gum disease. While gum disease doesn’t always present a serious issue, it can develop into periodontitis. Periodontitis can cause significant health issues since it damages the soft tissue inside your tooth.
If left untreated, periodontitis can spread throughout your tooth, resulting in tooth decay and loss.
Build-up of plaque over time, a type of bacteria, is usually the root cause of gum disease. If you don’t remove the plaque regularly, it can build up underneath your gums, turning into tartar or calculus. Because tartar is harder than plaque, standard brushing routines won’t remove it, and your dentist must use special tools to thoroughly clean your teeth and prevent your gingivitis from turning into periodontitis.
Smoking, not brushing regularly, some hormonal changes, lack of vitamin C, and genetics can all increase your risk of developing gum disease.
Recognising Gum Disease
Healthy gums are pale pink, feel soft to the touch, and don’t appear swollen. Infected gums have several symptoms, including:
- They easily bleed
- Swollen
- Uncomfortable to touch or brush
- Loosening teeth
- Darker colour, often purple or dark red
- Bad breath
While some of these symptoms could also suggest other problems, including sensitive teeth or cavities, it’s essential to see your dentist if you notice any of them.
Even if the issue is not gum disease, your dentist could prescribe a sensitive toothpaste to ease discomfort while brushing or suggest a treatment for your bad breath.
How to Treat Gum Disease?
Once you’ve developed gum disease, the only way to resolve it is by seeing your dentist. Besides a thorough dental cleaning, they may use scaling and root planing to remove the plaque and tartar.
If the infection is widespread, or there is a significant amount of bacteria in the plaque pockets under your gums, you may also need to take antibiotics to restore your healthy gums. If your dentist prescribes you antibiotics, take your entire dose, even if you start feeling better halfway through, since stopping prematurely aids in the development of superbugs or bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
How to Get Healthy Gums?
There are several ways to get healthy gums, including regularly brushing, flossing, and rinsing, and seeing your dentist for cleanings.
To properly brush your teeth, use fluoride toothpaste, and brush for at least two minutes twice a day. Replacing your toothbrush every four months can also help prevent infection from bacteria on your brush.
After brushing, floss in between each tooth. Although you might notice bleeding or sensitivity at first, that should disappear in several days. If not, ask your dentist about it.
Schedule a tooth cleaning with your dentist twice a year. Since you cannot remove all plaque and tartar with regular brushes, it’s essential to have a professional cleaning to keep your gums healthy.
Top Tips For Healthy Gums
Besides keeping your gums and teeth clean, several lifestyle tips can help you keep your gums healthy and reduce your chances of gum disease. Stopping smoking is one of the best ways to improve your oral health since it can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.
What you eat can also affect the health of your gums. Like those high in fibre and vitamins, some foods strengthen your gums and teeth and give your immune system a boost. Include a varied diet of high-fibre vegetables and fruits like avocados, strawberries, and bananas. Fibre helps promote the production of saliva, which keeps your gums healthy.
Other foods that can help you maintain healthy gums include cheese, milk, and yoghurt. Some teas, like green tea, have some antibacterial properties which can help reduce bacteria buildup in your gums.
Avoid foods like carbonated drinks, sweeties, or baked goods high in sugar. These can reduce your saliva production and cause tooth decay and bacteria buildup.
Maintain Healthy Gums With Dental Spot
To learn more about how to get healthy gums, and to keep your entire mouth free from cavities and gum disease, call Dental Spot today on (02) 9158 6115 to schedule a cleaning and checkup. Our team can provide you with tips for healthy gums and give you guidance on flossing and brushing techniques.
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