Have you ever experienced bleeding, pain, or redness along your upper or lower gums while brushing your teeth? Gum health basics dictate these are indicators of poor gum health and can be a sign of gum infections. While it’s common for people to take action following any problems with their teeth, little attention is paid towards any gum problems until they become painful.
Our overall oral health, however, has a strong correlation with the health of our gums.
Our gums play a key role in holding our teeth securely in place. We all need to be aware of those gum health basics to retain that attractive smile.
Gum health basics begin with proper care. Without regular care and cleaning, your gums may eventually start receding. This results in more of your teeth getting exposed and appearing larger than before. As more of your teeth get exposed to drinks and food items, they are more at risk for damage.
As more of your teeth get exposed due to gum recession, strong beverages or sticky food items can significantly damage the exposed tooth areas. This is because these areas are comparatively more sensitive than the outer gums. Sometimes, the problem worsens to the extent that you feel pain even when you drink water at room temperature.
This sensitivity keeps on increasing and leads to severe gum infections unless it is fixed earlier on. The repercussions could lead to treatments like root canals, fillings, gum surgeries and so on.
Your gums comprise of attachment fibers that hold your teeth in place in their respective sockets. Gum recession tends to expose the roots of your teeth, making them mobile. Moving teeth can create problems in eating and talking. The mobility increases over time causing the teeth to finally break.
Tips to Protect Your Gums
While brushing your teeth, make sure you do not only brush your teeth but also your gums and tongue. This is rule number 1 of gum health basics. If you spot any plaque on your teeth, clean it off with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Moreover, keep on changing your toothbrush because its bristles tend to get weaker over time, losing the strength to remove plaque from teeth and gums.
Simply brushing teeth isn’t sufficient. To prevent gum recession, you should floss at least four times a week. While you eat, significant amount of debris piles up between teeth and gums and flossing is the only way to clean those hard to reach spaces. All you need to do is hold the floss firmly and move it gently between your teeth.
When it comes to oral health, there’s always a possibility than you miss something important no matter how well you take care of your teeth and gums. An experienced dentist is the only person who can help recognize any treatment needs, and help you round out your gum health basics. Make sure you visit your dentist at least once every six months to help maintain your teeth and gum health.
Call our Windsor Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.