When we think of oral health and hygiene, most of us tend to focus on our teeth, wanting to make sure we have our pearly whites intact and cavity-free. However, we often overlook our gum health. Healthy teeth depend on healthy gums and one cannot aim at having a healthy mouth without strengthening their gums and teeth.
Importance of healthy gums
Having healthy gums is paramount to maintaining oral hygiene. Even if you have the brightest and whitest set of teeth that are cavity free, not paying attention to strengthening your gums will leave you susceptible to gum disease. Additionally, since gum disease is relatively painless, you may not even know you are veering towards a gum disease or have one already.1
What are the types of gum disease?
Gum disease is a type of infection wherein your gums and subsequently, your jawbone can be affected. Also known as periodontitis, gum disease is a result of poor oral hygiene – brushing and flossing – habits. Use Oral-B’s Essential Mint Dental Floss to get rid of tartar and plaque that accumulates between your teeth and in your gum line. These are designed and developed to be gentle on your gums so that you effectively clean your mouth and strengthen your gums.
Types of periodontal disease or gum disease2
Gingivitis:
The colour of,normal healthy gums is pink and are firm, which is a good structure to support your teeth. If your gums are red, swollen and bleed easily then it could be the onset of periodontal disease, also known as gingivitis. This is the mildest stage and if proper oral hygiene is practised at this point, you can have your normal healthy gums back.
Periodontitis:
When the infection spreads over to your teeth below your gum line, you’re in an advanced stage of gum disease, also known as periodontitis. And not just your teeth, it also affects your gum tissue and jaw bone, which can, in turn, lead to tooth loss.
Aggressive periodontitis:
A rapidly deteriorating stage of gum disease, the bone destruction and disintegration of tissue happens at a fast pace.
Chronic periodontitis:
This is a gum disease that progresses slowly, and a person with chronic periodontitis suffers from gum recession and inflammation.
Systematic periodontitis:
When gum disease develops due to systematic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease.
Ways to improve gum health
To keep gum disease at bay, it is imperative that you maintain healthy gums by practising proper oral hygiene. Here are a few things you should do:
Floss
Flossing is one of the most important steps in maintaining healthy gums. Flossing helps reach places that your toothbrush can’t, to remove food particles.
Quit smoking
Smoking is said to make you more susceptible to gum disease as it weakens your immune system. Quitting smoking will help decrease your chance of developing gum disease.
Brush twice a day
Ideally, it is recommended you brush your teeth after every meal to remove any food that may be stuck in crevices between your teeth and gums. But brushing it twice, before sleeping being the most important time, is sufficient. Opt for toothbrushes with soft bristles and one that is comfortable to use. An electric toothbrush is said to be more effective at removing plaque than a manual toothbrush. Choose from Oral-B’s range of electric toothbrushes, like the Oral-B Vitality Series electric toothbrush . It comes with an embedded timer that helps you brush for an optimum period and achieve comprehensive cleaning with a brush that oscillates and rotates to remove plaque effectively.
Use fluoride toothpaste
When you’re at the store wanting to buy toothpaste, you must surely be inundated with options – with toothpastes claiming to whiten and freshen. One ingredient that you should have in your toothpaste is fluoride. Once you see that, the other factors are up to your discretion.
Rinse mouth effectively
Usually, we rinse our mouth after brushing our teeth. And that means we flush out the fluoride in our toothpaste, which should ideally linger for effectiveness. Alternatively, one must consider rinsing the mouth after eating a meal so that food particles are flushed out, which cause plaque buildup and affect gum health.
How to strengthen gums naturally
There are a couple of ways to strengthen gums naturally too. Below are some of them:
Follow a healthy diet with less sugary foods and increasing intake of foods that are rich in calcium.
Lead a healthy lifestyle with healthy habits. It also means getting rid of habits that can ruin your health such as smoking, chewing tobacco, etc.
Habits and practices such as flossing, brushing and professional cleaning will ensure you maintain good oral health and healthy gums. Use good quality and the right products to help achieve effective cleaning.
