How To Protect My Gum Health

Your gums support your teeth, so their health is very important. Unfortunately, many people have gum disease. At first, you might not notice, but then symptoms like swelling, bleeding, and soreness can appear. If you develop serious gum disease (known as periodontitis), you can suffer from infections, tooth loss, and even bone loss! Protecting your gum health protects your overall health.

Avoid Smoking & Other Tobacco Use

Research shows that people who smoke are twice as likely as non-smokers to develop gum disease. It’s also harder for smokers to heal from gum disease because their immune systems are weaker. If you want healthy gums, don’t smoke or use other tobacco products.

Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day

Brushing is good for your teeth and gums! It removes plaque and prevents it from hardening into tartar, which builds at the gum line. Tartar irritates your gums and eventually leads to gum disease. To avoid problems, brush at least twice a day for two minutes at a time. Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the brushes begin to fray.

Floss Every Day

If you’re great about brushing but not flossing, you can still end up with gum disease. Flossing deals with the plaque between your teeth where your brush can’t reach. For best results, we recommend flossing once a day. Haven’t flossed in a while? Your gums might bleed a little. Bleeding means you probably have gingivitis, which is the early stage of gum disease. Keep flossing and the bleeding should stop as your gum health improves.

Visit Oakboro Family Dentistry for Cleanings & Exams

Professional cleanings and exams are an essential part of protecting your gum health. Only a dental professional can diagnose gum disease and perform cleanings that remove tartar. If you have gum disease, our office in Oakboro, NC can help you get your gum health back on track. We offer treatments like deep cleanings and Arestin, which is an antibiotic. Please contact us today if you have questions about your gum health or want to book an appointment!

Image by Authority Dental under CC 2.0

Categorised in: Family Dental Care, Gum Health, Oral Health, Preventive Dentistry