Simple Tips That Will Stop Gum Disease From Happening To You

The simple act of brushing your teeth in the morning and evening will put you ahead of most people in terms of practicing good oral hygiene. It's this simple maintenance that can go a long way in preventing the formation of gum disease. Here are some things you can do each day to help your gums.

Learn To Brush Properly

It's not enough to put some toothpaste on a toothbrush and move it around in your mouth for a few minutes. You must do a good job at brushing teeth along the gumline to keep them clean as well. Think of your teeth as having different quadrants, and divide a two minute chunk of time between those quadrants. That means spending 30 seconds on each part of your mouth. This should be plenty of time to get the plaque out from under your gums and get rid of other bacteria that is forming.

Brush After Your Meals

While you may be in the habit of brushing your teeth right before you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning, you should actually be shifting your brushing to after you have breakfast and your last meal of the day. This will prevent long periods of time where food is stuck to your teeth and allows acids to form bacteria.

Rinse After Lunch

It may not be practical to brush after you have lunch, but you can rinse your mouth out with water. This can help dilute any acids on your teeth from lunch, which help keep them clean throughout the afternoon.

Skip Sodas

One habit to break is drinking soda during the day, especially when it is not with a meal. This causes the sugar to sit on your teeth all day long, and without food, there is nothing to help get rid of the sugar. It is just a recipe for disaster as the sugar gives the bacteria the food it needs to grow.

Use Floss and Mouthwash

Don't forget the crucial steps each day of flossing and using mouthwash. One method shouldn't substitute for the other one either, since both flossing and rinsing are important for helping your gums. It will reduce inflammation caused by bacteria that can lead to gum disease.

For more tips on what you could be doing to prevent gum disease, be sure to meet with your dentist and ask more about it. They can let you know what you're doing right and what could use improvement. If you need more information about local dental services, you can click to find out here.