How to Keep Your Gums Healthy

When it comes to caring for your mouth, you may focus on brushing plaque off your teeth or having a whiter smile. While these are both good goals, have you been paying as much attention to your gums?

Your gums play an important role in your oral health and need to be properly cared for to avoid more serious health issues.

How to Care for Your Gums

Why Gum Care is Important

If you don’t properly care for your gums and allow plaque to build up at the base of your teeth, the bacteria can erode your gum tissue, making room for further tooth decay.

What’s worse is that, as time goes on and your plaque buildup increases, you may find yourself struggling with gum disease. Not only does it negatively impact your oral health, but gum disease has also been linked to more serious chronic health issues, such as heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, and more.

Other effects of poor gum health include:

Bleeding gums
Consistent bad breath
Red, tender gums
Loose teeth

Tips for Better Gum Health

Brush and Floss Regularly

Every morning and night use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently brush every side of your teeth for 2 minutes to remove plaque. After you brush, floss at least once a day in between each tooth to get rid of any leftover bacteria. Those who do not floss regularly are at a higher risk of developing periodontal (gum) disease.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is strongly connected to gum disease, along with other chronic health issues, making quitting the habit all the more important to keep your gums healthy. Although it can be difficult, try to give up smoking to avoid the negative impact it can have on your gums and body overall.

Keep Up with Dental Visits

Be sure to schedule your dental checkups every six months. Your dentist will be able to professionally remove plaque and tartar from your teeth to prevent the development of gum disease. They can also arrange for periodontal treatment in the event that you need more serious scaling work done to remove buildup.

Address Missing Teeth

The areas of your gums where there are missing teeth are more susceptible to bacteria buildup. By not addressing missing teeth, you increase your risk for periodontal disease and other infections.

Keeping Your Gums Healthy in New York and New Jersey

The team at ProHEALTH Dental is focused on meeting the needs of a wide range of dental issues with advanced and specialized treatment options so you can live a healthier, happier, and more productive life.

With our convenient locations, patients never have to worry about finding another dentist for their care.