Focusing on your teeth when cleaning your mouth every day is good, but giving just as much
attention to your gums is better! This doesn’t mean aggressively brushing your gums, but you
should clean your gums to help maintain healthy gum tissue.
Gums are an integral part of our mouths, helping to support the teeth, protect the tooth roots,
and nurture our smiles. How can you maintain healthy gum tissue?
1. Brush and Floss
Brushing and flossing are among the top things you can do to help your gums. However, how
you brush and floss is just as important as whether or not you brush and floss!
When it comes to gum tissue, gently brushing the gumline at a 45-degree angle can help
remove bacteria that build up near the tooth roots and help prevent gum disease. Never brush
aggressively and always choose a soft-bristled toothbrush to protect the gums rather than
irritating them.
For flossing, use at least 18 inches of floss and use a clean section between every set of teeth.
Floss gently just underneath the gumline to remove plaque, food debris, and bacteria. This can
help your smile remain healthy and prevent gum disease!
2. Visit Your Dentist
Your dentist is going to be a key player when it comes to maintaining healthy gum tissue.
Dentists are trained to spot signs of gum disease in the early stages, so having a professional
check your gums is important.
Getting regular checkups can not only ensure your gum tissue is healthy, but also help you to
cultivate best practices for keeping it healthy. Your dentist can point out areas that you’ve
missed in your smile and also conduct regular cleanings to remove any plaque that has built up
near the gumline.
There’s no substitute for visiting your dentist when it comes to gum health!
3. Avoid Tobacco Products
Although far fewer people smoke today than they did decades ago, tobacco products are still a
threat to our health.
This includes our teeth and gums. Even smokeless tobacco options such as chewing tobacco still
contain nicotine, which can reduce blood supply to the gum tissue and mask symptoms of gum
disease. The same is true for e-cigarettes, which deliver nicotine to the body and can still harm
your gums.
Since these products can mask the symptoms of gum disease, many tobacco users don’t realize
there is a problem until it’s too late. Since gum disease is one of the biggest causes of tooth
loss, this is a serious problem for people around the world.
By avoiding all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, you give your gums their best chance to
remain healthy and give you a beautiful smile for life!
Are your gums as healthy as you would like them to be? Gum tissue is an integral part of our
smiles and provides us with a healthy mouth for life. Consider getting your gums evaluated with
your dentist to ensure they’re healthy and strong!
