Fighting gum or periodontal disease effectively requires a multifaceted approach. Although your dentist or periodontist will offer excellent gum disease treatment, you shouldn’t rely on these treatments alone. The long-term success of these treatments also lies in what you do at home when you’re not at the dentist. In fact, home care plays a substantial role in promoting and maintaining good gum health. It’s proven that combining home care with your dental appointments increases your long-term gum health outlook and helps to prevent diseases such as gingivitis. Here’s a look at how home care can support your gum disease treatment.
Develop A Daily Oral Hygiene Routine
Building a few daily oral hygiene habits will go a long way to counteracting gum disease.
Floss Daily
Daily flossing is an incredibly important practice, since it’s those hard-to-reach places in our mouth where plaque can develop. Getting into every interdental space will ensure that plaque and debris are removed. The more you floss, the less chance there is of developing gum inflammation and disease.
Ask your dentist for advice on how to floss effectively without damaging your gums. Remember to also reach the interdental spaces right at the back of your mouth too. And finally, remember to floss before brushing, as it loosens debris, allowing your toothbrush to effectively remove any remaining particles.
Brush Thoroughly
For some of us, our daily brushing routine can be a rushed process. As a start, always use a soft-bristle toothbrush with good-quality, dentist-recommended fluoride toothpaste.
To being, you should focus on brushing for at least two minutes, with particular focus being placed on brushing along your gum line. This will remove plaque and debris that could contribute to gum disease. When brushing your front teeth, focus on brushing in a circular motion, as this helps to stimulate your gums and also removes debris.
It’s also important to give attention to brushing our back teeth, as these can sometimes be forgotten about as they’re harder to access. Chat with your periodontist about a toothbrush that will fit into all those hard-to-reach places.
Rinse With Mouthwash
Investing in an antiseptic mouthwash helps to target gingivitis and gum disease by removing harmful bacteria. This results in healthier gums and a fresh breath to inspire confidence.
Consider Some Important Lifestyle Changes
Certain lifestyle choices can affect your overall oral hygiene. Spend some time carefully assessing how these factors may be affecting your oral hygiene.
A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is an excellent way to promote gum health. Consuming vegetables and fruits can help to counteract inflammation, and foods high in vitamin C will also lower the risk of infection.
Stop Smoking
Smoking is a considerable risk to gum disease as it reduces blood flow to your gums, stunts healing, and also weakens the immune system. By quitting smoking you’ll begin to notice more color in your gums as more blood begins to circulate. Your immune system will also strengthen, promoting better all-around gum health.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is a great way to help maintain gum health. Water helps to remove bacteria and food particles, creating a cleaner mouth.
Invest In Advanced Oral Hygiene “Tools”
If you’re wanting to do all you can to maximize your oral hygiene, introducing a few advanced practices will contribute to better overall results.
Specialized Toothpaste
Speak to your dental professional about which toothpaste they would recommend, counteracting the risk of gum disease. Specialized toothpastes contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that can help to reduce gum swelling and bleeding.
Water Flossers
Oral flossers or irrigators make use of pressurized water to clean between your teeth and on your gum line. Water flossers use small streams of pressurized water and are able to get into those hard-to-reach places where your toothbrush won’t be able to.
Interdental Brushes
These are small, cone-shaped brushes used to clean interdental spaces that are hard to reach with flossing. It’s best to chat to your dental professional about getting the right size interdental brushes for your teeth.
Additional Benefits Of Home Dental Care
Caring for your teeth between dental appointments offers some additional advantages.
Know Your Mouth Better
The more time you spend cleaning and maintaining a healthy mouth, the more accustomed you’ll be to noticing any potential gum changes. For instance, flossing is a process that involves visual and physical engagement. Over time, you’ll begin to get a good feel for all those interdental spaces, as well as the overall color and condition of your gums. This means you’ll pick up on any changes fast and book a dental appointment quickly.
Reduce Dental Visits
Over time, consistent home care will begin to minimize the risk and adverse effects of gum disease. This means that you won’t need to schedule as frequent cleanings and checkups as your overall oral hygiene will improve. This is not to say that regular dental checkups and cleanings aren’t important, and dental checkups should be scheduled every six months; however, you should be able to remove the need to see your dentist every two to three months.
Your Preferred Gum Disease Treatment In Boynton Beach
At Eriks Dental Group, Boynton Beach, we offer a wide range of professional gum disease treatment services. Our team of dental specialists will provide you with the best treatment, while also empowering you to take your gum health into your own hands between treatments.
Our compassionate team strives to provide excellent results, from dental hygiene advice to full mouth restoration services. Call us at 561-733-4004 for the best in periodontal disease prevention and treatment.