What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease starts when plaque builds up under and along the gum line which can cause infection leading to tooth decay. It is important to treat gum disease as it causes your gum to be more prone to:
- inflamed gums
- tender gums
- swollen gums
- bleeding gums
- gum recession
Gum disease is preventable by keeping your gum healthy. Here are 4 dental hygiene tips that you can do to prevent gingivitis:
1. Brush twice a day
Brushing your twice helps to remove the food and plaque that are trapped between your teeth and gums. It is also important to scrub your teeth as your tongue can harbour bacteria as well.
2. Flossing
Flossing every day is essential as it removes the food and plaque that is beyond the reach of your toothbrush. Flossing, a small and quick action, is able to reduce the chances of developing gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease.
3. Mouthwash
A rinse every day helps remove food and particles and debris from your mouth. There are a few mouth wash that have active ingredients that help to eliminate bacteria in the oral cavity.
- Cetylpyridinium Chloride (Colgate Plax)
- Essential Oils (Listerine)
- Chlorhexidine (PerioKin)
4. Regular dental cleaning
Visiting your dentist on a regular basis is important as they can detect any signs of early gum disease. Scaling and polishing by your dentist can get rid of any plaque that you missed when brushing and flossing. A professional dental cleaning can help reverse early stage of gum disease such as gingivitis.
Do schedule an appointment with our dentist now to keep up your oral hygiene!