How To Prevent Gum Disease

Gum disease. It’s far too common, and quite preventable with some simple steps! And of course, seeing your dentist twice a year is one key step – but it’s not the only one.

Here’s some you likely know – but some that can help you may be forgetting.

Brush twice, of course…and yet…

Twice a day. You know the drill! Yet it’s been reported:

  • Nearly 30% of Americans don’t hit that magic 2x number
  • People forget to brush up to 5x a week (source)
  • Many don’t brush long enough even when they do manage to brush twice a day – two minutes each time (about 4 seconds per tooth) is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA)

Fun fact: recent research published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that critically ill patients in a hospital had a lower chance of pneumonia … if they brushed their teeth twice a day.

What you brush with matters

Don’t use a charcoal toothpaste, for instance, as that contains abrasives that harm your teeth.

Do: Use a toothpaste with flouride and that’s approved by the ADA. These have been tested and proven to help prevent gingivitis and cavities.

Also, make sure to use soft-bristled toothbrushes, again from the ADA. Firmer toothbrushes can lead to putting too much pressure on your teeth, which erodes the protective enamel.

How you brush helps, too

Are you someone who pushes too hard?

This has longstanding negative effects! Be gentle with your teeth, allowing your soft-bristled toothbrush to do the work of removing plaque in places the brush can reach. Of course, this is only one part of the solution, because…

Flossing

Remember the headlines the federal government made back in 2016 when the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) said it no longer recommended flossing?

Turns out, it didn’t have evidence for it, as detailed in this article.

Now, it is true that there’s not a ton of research one way or another, and so researchers may rightly say this is conclusive.
However, in our professional experience, flossing once a day allows you to remove plaque and other “stuff” from your teeth in places you toothbrush simply can’t reach and it has improved gum health.  And others, such as seen in this National Institutes of Health article, highlight why:

  • Plague is a biofilm on your teeth
  • “researchers have found modest benefits from flossing in small, short-term studies”
  • Long-term studies, a core issue of the argument against flossing, are quite expensive

Floss is cheap, flossing takes little time, and the pros significantly outweigh the cons. Please do floss 🙂

Eat healthy – because oral health is health

Your entire body isn’t a bunch of separate parts. It’s entirely connected! And so if your mouth is suffering, other parts of your body suffer, too … and the reverse is true, as well.

So how you eat matters. More fruits and vegetables, limit the red meat, sodas, and high-sugar options. Nuts can actually have a preventative impact, some research finds.

Sometimes it truly is the small things that matter!

Generally-accepted practices do matter

Ever heard of the phrase “KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid?”

Sometimes, we overcomplicate matters! In the search for the latest-and-greatest options, such as a magic teeth whitening solution that simply papers over some bad habits we’ve developed.

If you stick with the right oral health routine, yes – you’ll see results.

Are the other factors? Absolutely, such as:

  • Your genes
  • Strength of your enamel
  • Your body’s ability to support the teeth
  • Other health factors ranging from overall health to stress levels, etc.

So following these instructions are not always foolproof. But they have been proven effective.

And if you ever have questions, we’re here to help and we take the time to answer all of your questions.