Contrary to popular belief, gum disease is surprisingly common. In fact, research would seem to suggest that the vast majority of adults will develop gum disease to one extent or another during their life. On the plus side, the vast majority of cases of gum disease are non-severe in nature. It’s comparatively rare for gum disease to become so advanced that it poses any severe health risk whatsoever. That said, it most certainly does have the potential to pose an extremely severe health risk if it isn’t dealt with appropriately and promptly.
More often than not, the worst-case scenario that accompanies gum disease is tooth loss. Which is a much more common consequence of gum disease than most realise. The problem being that in most cases, those who find themselves with a relatively advanced case of gum disease wait until far too late to do something about it. By which time they could end up losing a tooth which cannot be saved.
Subtle Signs
Of course, given the fact that the symptoms of gum disease are so minor and easy to ignore, that’s exactly what the average person tends to do. For example, if you were to ask any sample group of 100 people, chances are at least 90 of them would tell you that they’d seen small amounts of blood on their toothbrushes at some point or another. Which doesn’t necessarily confirm a case of gum disease, but is nonetheless one of the most characteristic early symptoms of the condition.
Once again, what tends to happen is that these kinds of subtle signs and symptoms go overlooked, to such an extent that the problem is allowed to become much more severe in nature. Which is a shame, given the way in which gum disease is relatively easy to address once detected.
The thing is though, the only thing easier than addressing gum disease in its earliest stages is preventing it in the first place. In some instances, gum disease makes an appearance and there is really nothing the individual in question could have done to stop it. In most cases however, it is 100% preventable.
So with this in mind, what follows is a brief overview of just a few helpful guidelines from the experts on how to minimise your own risk of gum disease:
Brush Right
First and foremost, there is absolutely nothing more effective for keeping gum disease at bay than brushing your teeth properly. That being, ensuring you brush your teeth twice a day using the very best electric toothbrush you can lay your hands on. Brush for the recommended 2 minutes twice a day using a high-quality device, in conjunction with premium toothpaste and mouthwash as recommended by your dentist.
Brush At The Gumline
The key to getting it right when it comes to brushing is to ensure that you focus on the areas where gum disease starts. According to dentists, the gumline tends to be the single most overlooked and ignored part of the mouth where most people brush. Nevertheless, this is exactly where you need to be focusing your attention, if you would prefer to keep gum disease at bay. You don’t have to brush so aggressively your gums end up bleeding anyway – just firmly enough to get the job done.
Floss Daily
Gum disease also has a habit of initially manifesting between the teeth, in those areas that are difficult to reach using a toothbrush alone. Which is precisely why dentists insist that the only safe option is to floss comprehensively at least once every day. Or better yet, invest in a high quality water flosser the likes of which not only makes the job significantly easier, but also gets it done with unique effectiveness. You cannot and will not give your mouth a comprehensive and hygienic clean using a brush alone.
Use 2 Toothbrushes
It’s a rare and seemingly unusual tip, but nonetheless one that has quite a lot of sense to it. As far as dentists are concerned, it’s never a good idea to use a toothbrush that is still wet from the previous use. The reason being that it may be harbouring all manner of bacteria that you really don’t want to put back into your mouth. As such, if you choose to use a manual toothbrush, it is worth having two of the things on the go at the same time. By reserving one for morning and one for evening use, you ensure that your brush is always comprehensively dry each time you use it.
Keep Them Germ-Free
It is never advisable to use plastic covers or caps of any kind to ‘protect’ the end of your toothbrush. Nor should toothbrushes ever be stored in any position other than upright and with good air circulation all around them. There is nothing better/worse for promoting the growth of germs and bacteria than providing them with the ideal moist environment. Once again therefore, ensuring your brushes are dry before using them is a good way to go.
Healthy Diet
It’s also worth bearing in mind that oral health is no different to overall physical health when it comes to the importance of your everyday dietary habits. If you want to get the best out of your body, you need to be willing to put in exactly what it needs. A healthy diet that includes a good amount of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and so on is always going to benefit your oral health. As is plenty of calcium, not to mention that all important hydration.
See Your Dentist
Last but not least, it’s critically important that you see your dentist on a regular basis, so as to keep an eye out for any potential signs of gum disease. Not to mention, all manner of other potential problems you may have manifesting in your mouth. This way, you can ensure that when and where a problem does begin to present itself, you have every opportunity to deal with it before it gets any worse than it already is.
