Top Tips for Keeping Your Gums in the Pink

People often judge their dental health by the appearance of their teeth, and imagine that if they are a nice white color then they must be healthy. While this might be the case, it does ignore the health of your gums. These pink pieces of soft tissue have an extremely important role to play in your dental health as unless they are healthy and strong you are at risk of tooth loss. It’s easy to overlook the fact that your gums support and protect your teeth as well as the ligaments and bony structures surrounding them.

Unhealthy Gums Can Lead to Tooth Loss

If you don’t look after your gums then you’re at risk of developing gum disease. This may ultimately cause tooth loss, and just as importantly has been associated with a number of chronic long-term general health conditions. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to maintain healthy gums. You need to gently brush your gums when you brush your teeth, removing that sticky layer of plaque bacteria that build up during the course of the day and which could otherwise cause gum disease.

Maintaining Nice, Healthy Gums

You do need to have a really good oral care routine at home which you must be committed towards maintaining. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to spend ages cleaning your teeth every day, as it will probably only take a few minutes which is a small price to pay to protect your teeth and gums and your general health.

Using the Proper Tools to Clean Your Teeth and Gums

The first thing to consider is your toothbrush. A common mistake is to choose a brush that has very hard bristles in the belief that it will clean your teeth and gums more effectively. In fact the opposite could be true, as brushing too hard will damage your gums, wearing away the delicate gum tissues and causing gum recession. You’ll also damage your tooth enamel and are more likely to end up with sensitive teeth or even decay around the necks of the teeth. Instead of a hard brush, choose a toothbrush with soft to medium bristles. Provided you use it correctly, it will do a very good job at keeping your gums and teeth clean. Use fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. This will have been thoroughly tested for effectiveness and safety.

Don’t Forget to Floss

Dr. Navid Rahmani is well aware many patients find it difficult to floss, and some may only do so just before an appointment at Manhattan Periodontics & Implant Surgery. The thing is, with the proper techniques it really isn’t that difficult to do. A common mistake is to break off too short a length of dental floss, as it needs to be around eighteen inches long so you can use a clean section in between each tooth. Some people find it easiest to tie the ends together so it creates a large loop, while others prefer to wind the ends around their middle fingers so that the forefingers and thumbs can be used to gently slide the floss right down to and just below the gums. Whichever method you use, it is well worth persevering, even if it initially makes your gums bleed a little bit.

Don’t forget, you can always ask any of the dental team at Manhattan Periodontics & Implant Surgery for more information and practical help.

In: General Periodontal Topics | Gum Disease

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