When plaque begins to form along the gum line and under the gum line, it can cause gum disease. The plaque that forms on your teeth is full of bacteria. When it affects the gums, it can cause an infection in them and the bones in your mouth.
When this infection forms, it’s called gum disease and tooth decay. Gum disease and gingivitis can cause a variety of symptoms, such as tender, red, inflamed, and swollen gums that bleed. Gum disease isn’t something that anyone wants to deal with, but unfortunately, it is common.
Knowing how to prevent gum disease is the first step to take to stop gum disease before it ever forms in your mouth. Do you know what you should be doing to start preventing gum disease? Continue reading the guide below for gum disease prevention tips you should know about!
Table of Contents
Brush and Floss Daily
If you want to have healthy teeth and gums, then you need to have good dental hygiene. Maintaining good dental hygiene will keep your mouth in the best condition possible. There are several aspects that make up good hygiene, but brushing and flossing on a daily basis are some of the most important ones.
You should be brushing and flossing at least twice a day (once in the morning and once before bed). You should brush your teeth for two whole minutes, spending one minute on your top teeth and one on the bottom. Floss your teeth before brushing and bring floss picks with you everywhere you go so you can floss your teeth after eating lunch or other meals when not at home.
Rinse With Mouthwash
It’s also important to rinse with a therapeutic mouthwash as well. This type of mouthwash can help prevent the build-up of dental plaque, reduce plaque, and prevent gum disease. A good mouthwash can also help rinse food particles and other debris from your teeth and mouth (though shouldn’t be used as a replacement for flossing).
If you struggle to use mouthwash because it burns when you use it, then it’s important to know why the mouthwash burns when you use it. You can learn why from bristlehealth.com and determine what type of mouthwash might be the best choice for you.
Eat a Healthy Diet
A well-balanced diet can help improve your overall health and in return improve your oral health as well. It’s ideal to stay away from any foods or drinks with high sugar levels. Sugary foods and drinks can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
You don’t have to eliminate them from your diet completely, but it’s best to only have them as a treat every now and then. After eating or drinking something high in sugar, don’t forget to drink lots of water. Drinking water will help rinse the sugar off your teeth and out of your mouth.
Make sure your diet has a high amount of minerals and vitamins to help boost your immunity.
Drink Lots of Water
You want to stay hydrated because saliva is one of the best defenses against plaque build-up. After you’ve eaten food, your mouth produces saliva to help wash away all of the food particles and leave your mouth clean and healthy. To ensure you have enough saliva in your mouth, always drink lots of water.
Drinking water will keep you hydrated and will help rinse away the food particles. Do keep in mind that there are some drinks that can actually dehydrate you, such as alcoholic beverages or coffee.
Boost Your Vitamin C
Sometimes, gum disease is caused by a Vitamin C deficiency. Try to boost your Vitamin C intake to help prevent gum disease. You can find Vitamin C in a variety of foods, such as oranges, strawberries, and kiwis.
Of course, you can also consider taking Vitamin C supplements. Make this a normal part of your daily routine so that you’re getting enough Vitamin C every day.
See Your Dentist Regularly
One of the last ways you can prevent gum disease from forming is to schedule regular dentist visits. If you can’t remember when the last time you saw the dentist was, then it’s most likely time to schedule an appointment. For someone who has healthy gums and teeth, seeing a dentist twice a year is routine.
However, if you suffer from dental problems or haven’t been to the dentist in quite some time, then you might need to schedule appointments even more often. When you see your dentist on a regular basis, you help treat and prevent plaque, tooth decay, and gum disease. Your dentist will conduct a deep cleaning of your teeth and gums to help get them back to where they should be.
Your dentist can also provide you with even more tips and tricks for keeping your teeth and gums in great shape. They might also prescribe you a special mouthwash or toothpaste to use. Schedule regular dental visits, and you can almost guarantee plaque is no match for your teeth and gums.
Do You Know How to Prevent Gum Disease?
After ready through this guide, we hope you now know how to prevent gum disease. Use all of the helpful information listed here to get you started. Brush and floss twice a day and use a therapeutic mouthwash to give it a boost.
Switch to a healthy diet, drink lots of water, boost your Vitamin C intake, and always schedule routine appointments with your dentist. For more health topics and many other topics too, continue to check back here!
