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Dental care is all well and good, but do you understand how important it is to also take care of your gums? We have a few tips that make it easier to ensure you’re supporting your gum health in the long run.
When thinking about oral health, most people tend to focus on one thing and one thing alone: dental care. But this ignores an extremely important part of caring for your mouth.
At Ueno Center Dental Specialists, we want all of our patients to know how important it is to focus on preventing gum disease and supporting gum health. If you aren’t able to do this, it could spell disaster for not only your gums but your teeth and even other parts of your body.
Jeremy K. Ueno, DMD, and our other providers are committed to making sure you have all the tools at your disposal to keep your gums healthy.
Gum health 101
If we don’t talk about it much, how is it that gum health can be so important?
For starters, most of the attention is on dental health because the teeth are what we can see. When you smile at someone, they’re more likely to notice your teeth than your gums, which makes people hyper-aware of the former.
Also, the first stage of gum disease (called gingivitis) usually doesn’t cause severe symptoms. You might notice slightly swollen or bleeding gums, but it’s easy to shrug this off as a sign that you’ve brushed too hard.
In truth, once the more noticeable symptoms show up, a lot of damage has already been done.
Any way you look at it, gum health is important. Gum disease can affect your teeth, and if allowed to continue, can lead to other problems like stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. As such, you should follow our tips to support gum health.
5 tips for gum health
An estimated 47.2% of adults over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal disease. This is reason enough to pay more attention to your gums and to follow our tips for keeping them healthy.
Brush twice a day
Yes, you’ve heard this advice before, but it’s as important for your gums as it is for your teeth. Brushing after every meal is something to consider too, as is brushing your tongue to get rid of excess bacteria.
Finally, invest in an electric toothbrush, which can help keep your gums healthier between professional cleanings.
Go to the dentist
Speaking of cleanings at your dentist’s office, don’t skip them. Our hygienists can remove plaque buildup that your toothbrush can’t, so even if you do everything right at home, you still need regular professional cleanings.
Floss, floss, floss
We can’t stress this enough. Flossing helps to stave off gum disease by removing food items from places your toothbrush just can’t reach.
Use mouthwash
Mouthwash is another tool in the fight against plaque buildup. Buy a therapeutic mouthwash with the American Dental Association seal of approval on the label. Then you know you’re getting the best care for your gums.
Don’t smoke
If you’re a smoker and you’re looking for a sign that it’s time to quit, here it is. Smoking can easily cause problems for your gums, and in the United States especially, it is one of the most common causes of severe gum disease.
Gum health is oral health
You can’t have healthy teeth without taking care of your gums, and your mouth will thank you for it. If you haven’t had a routine cleaning in a while, or if you think the situation may require more intensive treatment, it’s time to seek professional care.
Give us a call to make an appointment at our Campbell, California, office.