5 Tips for Healthy Gums
How To Have Healthy Gums
If you are like most people, your morning dental routine consists of brushing your teeth and heading out the door. In fact, so long as your teeth look nice and white, you probably call it good and give it no further thought.
But that could be a costly mistake. Issues that seem like no big deal at first, like a bit of blood while flossing, can bloom into a much larger problem, and may even be an indicator of early gum disease.
Prevention is key when it comes to oral health, and the best place to start is your gums. Here are 5 steps towards complete oral health:
Brush Your Teeth After Eating
So often we are told that we need to brush twice a day, morning and night. While this is a good benchmark, and definitely better than nothing, it is far better to brush following each meal.
After all, tooth decay and gum disease is caused by food, and brushing twice a day is not a guarantee that you’ll be brushing at the best times. So always brush directly following a meal
Also, the way that you brush is important, too. Don’t brush too hard and aim for two minutes.
Floss Every Night
When it comes to healthy gums, nothing is more effective than flossing. Flossing gets to the small food particles that can hide out between teeth and in the gums.
Flossing prevents bleeding gums, as well. And believe it or not, this contributes to a healthy heart. If you have bleeding gums, that means that bacteria from your mouth ( which is a pretty dirty place) has a direct pathway to your bloodstream. So always remember to floss.
Use a Good Antiseptic Mouthwash
In addition to flossing and brushing, antiseptic mouthwash delivers the final blow to bacteria that can cause unhealthy gums. Be sure to get the kind that has actual antiseptic properties, rather than the kind that just provides a minty smell.
Another thing that is important is to rinse with mouthwash before you brush. This softens the plaque that causes gingivitis and makes brushing more effective.
Watch Your Sugar Intake and Eat Healthy Foods
Sugar is what causes cavities and gum disease. Bacteria use sugars as a food source and will swarm to any area that has them. Limit your sugar by eating healthy foods such as leafy greens, which aside from being good for you, have a gentle cleansing effect on the mouth. The same holds true for apples and other astringent fruits.
Ginger root is a great flavor enhancer and has long been recognized for its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
If you do eat something with sugar in it, make sure that you brush afterwards.
Visit Your Dentist on a Regular Basis
Ideally, this is at least once every 6 months. A dentist can see any upcoming tooth or gum problems before they become major issues. Dentists can also provide a thorough cleaning twice a year, and give you pointers on keeping your gums in tip-top shape.
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