How to get healthier gums

Keeping healthy gums is an important part of having a great smile. Unhealthy gums can cause your teeth to lose support and become unstable, which can lead to tooth loss. It can also bring about a range of inflammatory diseases, such as Gingivitis and Periodontitis.

At Sensu, we believe a beautiful smile and healthy teeth begin with good gums. Here are a few tips to keep your gums healthy.

The most important thing you need to do to keep nice gums is to brush properly. You should ensure you brush your teeth and gums twice a day at least. Beware of brushing too hard, which can damage your gum tissue which leads to bleeding and inflammation. Brushing at a 45 degree angle also helps, as it makes the brushing on the gum softer. The recommended brushing time is about 2 minutes. Using a good toothbrush with soft and round bristles is also a good way to limit friction.

Additionally, you should make sure you regularly use mouthwash. Although we all know it’s important to brush our teeth, they only make up a small part of our mouth. Mouthwash ensures other areas are being cleaned too, and gets rid of bacteria on the tongue, the palate and yes, the gums.

Also make sure you floss. Not many people floss, as it’s a little uncomfortable and can hurt in the early days. However, flossing can go a long way in removing build up which cannot be removed by your toothbrush. It’s important for your gums, as food particles leftover can lead to bad breath and ultimately gum disease. You should aim to floss at least once a day.

Finally, good eating habits can go a long way in improving your gums. Soft drinks notoriously contain a lot of sugar, which can easily turn into plaque which is bad for your teeth and gums when accumulated. Smoking can also have a negative impact because it can erode your gums. Keep off that too if you can.

Remember to come and visit us now and again! Your dentist can give you the right tips to keep healthy teeth and gums, and help remove plaque once it’s hardened into tartar if necessary. Although ultimately, it is up to you maintain good teeth.