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How to Prevent Gum Disease

Using your common sense, eating a well balanced nutritious diet and educating yourself about how to best take care of your teeth and gums are the most important ways to prevent the development of gum disease. Be smart about your health and put daily oral hygiene practices into play at all times.

Learn the proper way to brush your teeth and brush them at least twice a day, and preferably after every meal. Make sure that the bristles of your toothbrush are able to get under the gum line, as this is where bacteria start to grow, along with plaque and tartar.

Always floss once a day, preferably before you go to bed at night. If you have a large space between any of your teeth then use an interdental brush and remember to clean behind the last tooth in any corners of your mouth. It is important to note that brushing and flossing are both essential for good oral hygiene. Brushing gets rid of the plaque that is found on the surface of the teeth which flossing serves to get rid of the plaque that can be found between each tooth and under the gum line. This is often where the problem starts so do not think that brushing your teeth is enough because it is not.

It is wise to use an antiseptic mouthwash after you brush your teeth. To help a case of gingivitis choose a mouthwash that contains chlorhexidine gluconate or else one that contains hydrogen peroxide. Steer clear of alcohol-based mouthwashes as these will serve to irritate gum disease even worse. Be aware that bone loss and receding gums cannot be helped with the use of an antiseptic mouthwash.

Regular check-ups at the dentist, with or without x-rays are essential as are professional cleanings with a qualified dental hygienist. Most dentists will recommend that patients schedule check ups and cleanings every six months but some patients with advanced periodontal disease might be strongly encouraged to come more often than that.

Check ups at the dentist are necessary to monitor a patient's oral hygiene and to identify whether or not the problem is becoming worse. The early signs of periodontal disease can be picked up on by a routine check up and x-rays can indicate whether bone loss has or is taking place. Once a course of treatment has been decided upon it is imperative that the dentist carefully monitor the patient's response to such. All treatment methods do not work for everyone and it may become necessary to switch from one treatment to another in order to see more improved results.

Most dentists or hygienists use a special type of dental instrument to clean and debride the teeth that are below the gum line in order to get rid of any plaque that has started to grow there. After a professional cleaning such as this, bacteria and plaque have the tendency to go back to the levels they were at before the cleaning after approximately three to four months time, hence the dentist will then decide what intervals can remain between cleanings for patients based on their dental health history.