6 Practical Ways To Prevent Gum Disease

As a dental practitioner, I have to see patients every day that have let their oral hygiene slip, leading to gum disease. This is a severe oral health issue that can lead to loose teeth and eventual tooth loss.cheap jordan 4 wigs for sale nike air max 270 sale nfl shop adidas outlet online custom nfl jerseys nfl jerseys nike air max 270 sale custom jerseys nfl shop mens nike air jordan customized jerseys adidas outlet nfl jersey for sale custom jerseys

What advice would I give patients to help them prevent gum disease? Stay tuned. In this guide, discover the best and most practical ways to prevent gum disease, both at home and with the assistance of your dentist.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease, or periodontitis, is an infection in the gums that can cause inflammation. If left untreated, gum disease can progress, leading to tooth loss. The condition in the gums begins to spread to the teeth, wearing away the bone at the root.

The most significant cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene, which means practising good oral health can lower your risk of gum disease.

How do you know if you have gum disease? Well, there are many symptoms of gum disease, including:

Swollen gums – the infection in the gums leads to inflammation, which causes the gums to become swollen.
Bleeding gums – as the infection begins to wear away the gums, they can cut more quickly, leading to regular bleeding.
Red gums – because your gums are inflamed, they will change in colour.
Bad breath – those who suffer from periodontitis often have bad breath and sometimes notice an unpleasant taste in their mouth.
Shrinking gums – when you have periodontitis, your gums may shrink. Receding gums reveal more of the tooth’s surface, giving a smile a toothy look.
Loose or missing teeth – in extreme cases, gum disease can cause your teeth to become loose or fall out due to bone erosion.

Practical Ways To Prevent Gum Disease

Since gum disease can lead to severe issues like tooth loss and embarrassing bad breath, you need to take steps to avoid it. Here are some of the most practical ways to prevent gum disease.

Brush Your Teeth With Fluoride Toothpaste – Regularly

Fluoride is an excellent cleaning agent for the teeth and gums that helps to brighten and whiten the teeth. Fluoride works with the calcium and phosphate in your teeth to create strong enamel. To ensure you practise good oral hygiene and avoid gum disease, brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.

Once you have finished brushing your pearly whites, you should spit out the excess toothpaste. However, you should not rinse your mouth in any way, even with mouthwash. Leaving fluoride on your teeth will help you to maximise the benefits of cleaning your teeth.

Clean In-between Your Teeth With Floss

When brushing our teeth, we often miss those hard-to-reach areas, like between the teeth. The best way to reach the whole surface area of the tooth is to floss once daily. Choose different floss to make the process easier – you can select traditional string floss or wire brushes to reach between your teeth. Whatever works best for you.

Replace Your Toothbrush

You need a toothbrush with firm bristles and can clean your teeth thoroughly. While using a toothbrush, you slowly wear away the strength of the strands. So, to ensure your toothbrush is working correctly, you should replace it every 3 to 4 months.

In addition to keeping the bristles strong, replacing your toothbrush regularly will help you to avoid bacteria forming on the head of your toothbrush.

See Your Dentist Regularly

You need to visit your dentist Bentleigh East for regular checkups. The dentist will be able to detect irregularities in your gums that could be early signs of gum disease. Your dentist will also advise you on practical steps to take better care of your teeth.

In addition to seeing your dentist often for checkups, you should also visit your dentist for regular teeth cleaning. There are some places in your mouth that you will miss with floss and brushing. Your dentist will use an abrasive tooth cleaner to give you a thorough clean and rid the mouth of both plaque and bacteria.

Use Mouthwash In Between Brushes

Although you shouldn’t use mouthwash right after brushing, you can use mouthwash at intervals between brushing to clean the gums. When you brush your teeth, you clean the teeth but not the gums. By mouth washing between brushes, you can ensure your gums are free from bacteria. Using an antimicrobial or antibacterial mouthwash can help to keep infection at bay and reduce your risk of gum disease.

Quit Smoking

Smoking can exacerbate symptoms of gum disease, causing the disease to progress more quickly. When you smoke, the smoke can inhibit the oxygenation of the gums and, when the gums lack oxygen, they take longer to heal. Dental plaque is more prevalent in smokers.

If you need support for quitting smoking, speak to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy and support groups. This could be your time to finally give it up!

Summary

Gum disease is a severe dental issue that can lead to tooth loss and loose teeth. To prevent gum disease, the first step is to boost your oral hygiene game. You must ensure that plaque does not build up on the teeth and spreads underneath the gums, and the best way to eliminate plaque buildup is to have regular teeth cleaning performed by your dentist. Reach out to our specialists at Verve Dental to access teeth cleaning services.