8 Streamlined Steps to Great Gum Health

8 Streamlined Steps to Great Gum Health

Your oral health is not just about how beautiful or straight your smile is, but it is a key indicator of your overall health. Oral health is a topic constantly being researched in healthcare, because medical professionals know that our dental health can contribute to various diseases and health conditions. Our teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing, and smiling, but oftentimes our gum health gets overlooked, while it plays such a vital role in our well-being and quality of life.

Your oral health is not just about how beautiful or straight your smile is, but it is a key indicator of your overall health. Oral health is a topic constantly being researched in healthcare, because medical professionals know that our dental health can contribute to various diseases and health conditions. Our teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing, and smiling, but oftentimes our gum health gets overlooked, while it plays such a vital role in our well-being and quality of life. So, this makes us wonder; how can we keep on top of gum health and make sure we are doing our very best for our long-lasting overall health?

Think about building a new home and the financial and time investment it requires. You need a solid foundation to build on, or your new house would be at risk of failing. Your gums are that foundation and support system for your teeth, so without healthy gums, you can’t have a healthy smile.

What makes a person’s gums healthy? The simple answer to this is gum tissue should not be swollen, inflamed, or bleed when touched. Good gingival health relies on a person doing his or her part by brushing daily with toothpaste, flossing, and being conscious of their lifestyle. Without this awareness, we tend to neglect the very foundation that holds our teeth in place, which is also a gateway to our systemic health.

Understanding why our gingival health is important is great motivation to get your gums in the best shape possible. Follow these tips to get your gum health where you need it to be!

1. Visit Your Dentist For A Professional Cleaning

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends committing to routine dental care, which translates to two visits per year. Why is this important? Because routine dental care helps spot problems early-on to avoid long-term issues and more costly and potentially painful dental treatment.

A professional dental cleaning is beneficial because your dentist or hygienist can remove calculus or plaque that isn’t easily removed with a toothbrush. A good cleaning helps keep your teeth and gums in the best shape to prevent periodontal disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

2. Brush Daily

Did you know that less than 50% of Americans brush their teeth twice a day? If you fall into this category, you are not alone, but it is best to get into a healthy habit of brushing both in the morning and nighttime for a full two minutes each time so remove food and plaque debris. Your gums and teeth will appreciate the second cleaning!

Brushing your teeth is the simplest thing you can do to ensure optimal oral health. When you brush daily, you decrease the amount of plaque build-up in your mouth that is responsible for causing gingivitis and periodontitis. The more plaque that accumulates over time, the greater risk you are for inflamed, red, and swollen gums. Gum disease is not only uncomfortable, but is the primary cause of tooth loss.

3. Use Advanced Technology

We are lucky that innovative dental technology and products are available today to help us keep our oral health in the best shape more easily. There are highly advanced toothbrushes, water flossers, and toothpastes that cater to all types of patients to keep our mouths fresh and clean.

When you are searching for a dental product, you want to look for ones that go the extra mile such as Oralucent, which combines both red and blue light technology to kill dangerous bacteria and promotes tissue healing to help restore your oral health. When you opt for a brush like Oralucent, you are investing in rejuvenating your oral health and promoting a balanced oral microflora.

A breakthrough toothbrush like Oralucent that uses phototherapy to promote periodontal health is a great step in taking your oral care in the right direction. Playing your part in finding useful advanced dental products and becoming your best advocate is the smart way to get the healthy smile you desire.

4. Don’t Forget the Floss!

Floss is important because it helps remove excess food and plaque debris that can’t be removed from a toothbrush. Think about when you wash your hands with soap -you wouldn’t want to if you skip washing between your fingers. Not the cleanest or healthiest habit!

Flossing is beneficial to keep your periodontal health in top shape and avoid problems like cavities and gum disease.

5. You Are What You Eat

Your diet is one of the most important factors that contribute to your health. While we all enjoy the occasional sugary treat, we need to be conscious about what goes into our mouths and bodies. Foods that are high in sugar or sticky in nature tend to bind to our teeth and cause tooth decay.

Dentists recommend drinking plenty of water to flush away leftover food and plaque and eating a well-balanced diet full of protein and healthy fats. Carbohydrates should be consumed in moderation to prevent enamel breakdown by harmful oral bacteria.

6. Limit Alcohol and Tobacco Products

Smoking and frequent alcohol consumption puts a strain on your general and oral health. In fact, it decreases your ability to heal quickly from an infection. Tobacco products are also one of the leading contributors to gum disease problems and cause unwanted staining and bad breath.

7. Use Dentist-Developed Oral Hygiene Products

People are always looking for ways to improve their cosmetic appearance, but also want to be conscious of the health effects. An important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is using products like Oralucent O2Gel light-activated booster that helps whiten your teeth when combined with phototherapy The combination of blue light technology promotes an antimicrobial effect, while also gently whitening your teeth. The low dose peroxide is beneficial because it prevents sensitivity and harmful effects that other abrasive products may use. Oralucent gel is a

simple addition that we can use to keep our smiles bright, but also prevents damage to teeth enamel and gum tissue. Plus, it helps keep our breath fresh because the peroxide gel combined with blue light technology combats the very source of bad breath, volatile sulfur compounds. The combination of gel and light therapy helps establish a well-balanced oral microbiota, rather than wiping out bacteria that we need for our oral and gut health.

8. Be On Top of Your Health

There is no greater asset than your health and well-being. When you are in the driver's seat and have carefully chosen the products you use and develop healthy oral care habits, you are more likely to have a better quality of life.

Fortunately, these days we’re seeing more awareness about the importance of gum health. One of the top reasons for this is the numerous studies about how our gum health directly linked to overall medical health. People who suffer from gum disease are more likely to have cardiovascular or diabetic complications. The American Heart Association has extensively studied how heart conditions like stroke and atherosclerosis are associated with inflammation caused by oral bacteria. Your gum health is equally important to caring for your teeth, if not more, when we consider how harmful bacteria that can enter the bloodstream through compromised gum tissue are now linked to 8 of the 10 leading causes of mortality.

The good news is you now have the option of investing in high-tech tools to fortify your gums and you can elevate your healthy oral care habits through routine dental visits, brushing, and flossing daily. These are the golden keys that can make a world of difference in your smile.When you make a positive change in your lifestyle by caring for your gum health in addition to your teeth, you’ll reap lifelong rewards.

Written by Dr. Erica Anand, DDS