Visiting your dentist regularly is important to your dental health, but more importantly, the things you do between your dental visits can play an even large role in it. For example, one of the main purposes of sticking to a good dental hygiene routine every day is to prevent things like gum disease from developing and requiring more extensive dental treatment. Today, we examine a few ways in which you can improve this routine at home and more successfully lower your risks of gum disease and other concerns.
Clean your gums as well as your teeth
Brushing and flossing your teeth is the most well-known piece of advice anyone can receive about improving their daily hygiene routine. However, your teeth aren’t the only things that can be subject to plaque development, and the area where your gums meet your teeth structures is an especially vulnerable area. Be sure to thoroughly brush along your gum line every time you brush your teeth, and to carefully bring the floss to your gums to thoroughly remove any lingering bacteria and food particles.
Don’t brush or floss too harshly
It may seem contrary to your instinct for cleaning, but when it comes to your teeth, elbow grease isn’t a good thing. Brushing and flossing more vigorously won’t clean your teeth better; in fact, it can strip your teeth of their protective enamel, and cause your gums to recede from your teeth due to the irritation. It’s more important to be thorough and gentle than to be forceful, ensuring that you clean every surface of your teeth every time you brush and floss. The more diligent you are, the better chance you’ll have of keeping your teeth and your gums strong and healthy enough to fight off oral bacteria.
Watch out for warning signs
If you pay close enough attention, your teeth and gums will tell you early when something isn’t right. For instance, teeth grow slightly more sensitive (and then increasingly more so) when their enamel first starts to get weak. Likewise, your gum tissues may start to grow red and inflamed as oral bacteria first start to accumulate underneath them. The infection that this accumulation can lead to is known as gingivitis, and if you ignore it long enough, gum disease can become a serious threat by the time they become more noticeable.
Learn how to lower your gum disease risks
With more diligent care at home, you can significantly lower your risks of developing gum disease in the future. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us by calling Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500.
