Gum Disease Prevention Tips
Avoid the risk of wobbly teeth and tooth loss that periodontitis can lead to….
Looking after the health of our gums is just as important as looking after our teeth but this is a fact that isn’t always recognised to the degree that it should be. Although gum disease may not cause the severe pain that a bad toothache can bring, it not only has a number of unpleasant symptoms, such as foul smelling breath, but if left to worsen, it starts to affect the bone which holds the tooth root in place. When this happens, it can cause the tooth to become loose and even fall out.
To help encourage our Burton patients to pay a little more attention to their gums, here are some top gum care tips from the friendly team at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice.
1 – Brush your gums gently
Yes, you heard that right; bacteria can collect on your gums, and especially the gum line where teeth meet gums, as easily as on the surface of the tooth. Don’t just ‘flat brush’ the tooth surface but angle that toothbrush so that the bristles can reach beneath the gum line where food and bacteria can easily become trapped. Make sure to use a toothbrush with healthy bristles and don’t be afraid to buy a new one as soon as you notice the bristles becoming worn out.
2 – Floss between your teeth
Here is something that around 80% of the UK population don’t do. For many people it is the ‘difficulty’ of using dental floss that puts them off. Anyone who has persevered a little though will be able to tell them how simple it is and what a difference it makes. The reality is that it is in the spaces between the teeth that bacteria and pieces of food get trapped. Whilst some of this can be removed by swilling the mouth with water (also a good idea following a meal), there are still likely to be remnants left which will decay and attract bacteria. Flossing your teeth when you do your night time brushing is a great way to help keep teeth and gums clean. For those who really do find this difficult to do, please talk to us and we will try to help.
3 – Quit smoking
Along with being one of the main causes of oral cancer, smoking plays a big role in gum disease too. Not only do the chemicals in the smoke irritate the gums, but smoking also narrows the blood vessels in the gums which would normally help to fight infections. A dry mouth is also common in smokers and as we shall see in the next section, plays a part in enabling gum disease.
4 – Moderate your alcohol consumption
Whilst smoking can cause a dry mouth, much more common is alcohol consumption. You may well have noticed this yourself after you have been drinking. When this happens, you may also notice a collection of rather gooey white sticky stuff in your mouth. This ‘goo’ is actually a collection of bacteria that would normally have been largely washed away by your saliva.
5 – Drink more water
This applies to the previous two points particularly, but many of us drink too little water. Not only will drinking more water help you to avoid dehydration, but will also wash away some food particles and bacteria that would otherwise have collected. Our overall health will also benefit from drinking sufficient water too.
6 – Reduce your sugar intake
We all know that sugar contributes to tooth decay but it also helps gum harming bacteria to thrive. Sugar is a fuel for bacteria and the more that you eat and especially that you leave on or between your teeth, the more fuel there is for potentially gum harming bacteria to multiply and cause more damage. Keep your sugar intake to a sensible level if you can’t cut it out altogether.
7 – See the dental hygienist regularly
Our Burton dental practice offers a number of services; one of which is oral hygienists. For those that don’t already see a hygienist, you really should. Not only is it a great way to have a chat about how you can look after your teeth and gums better, but you will also receive a ‘scale and polish’ which is an excellent way of removing the hardened bacteria (tartar) from your teeth that brushing at home simply can’t. Your teeth will not only look nicer due to the removal of some staining materials from your teeth, but will feel healthier too!
So there we are; seven very simple things that you can do to make sure that you have healthy gums from this point on. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t see your dentist for ongoing oral health checks too, and if you would like to book yours, or if you have a more immediate problem, please call Mike Allen’s Dental Practice on 01283 845345.