Gum disease is the most common cause of adult tooth loss in the UK, but with these handy tips, we can help you to keep harmful bacteria at bay and ensure your gums stay healthy ad free from disease.
Oral hygiene
Nothing beats good oral hygiene in the fight against gum disease and you can really make a difference to your oral health by simply spending 5 minutes a day cleaning your mouth. We strongly recommend brushing twice daily for at least 2 minutes each time and flossing on a daily basis to remove bacteria from the mouth and clear away bits of leftover food. With a good oral hygiene regime in place, you should be able to prevent plaque from forming; plaque is a colourless substance, which forms when saliva joins bacteria and food debris together. When bacteria feed, they give off plaque acids, which erode the protective enamel and cause the gums to become sore, swollen and irritated.
Diet
Diet plays an important role in your general and oral health and we urge you to make a conscious effort to stick to a healthy and balanced diet. Sugary and acidic foods and drinks are particularly damaging for oral health and we recommend steering clear of foods that are acidic and those that have high sugar content, especially between meals when the enamel is soft and vulnerable.
Lifestyle choices
Smoking is a major risk factor for gum disease because it reduces blood flow to the gums, slows the body’s natural healing process and cigarettes contain hundreds of harmful chemicals. We are here to support and guide those who would like to quit smoking.
Dental visits
Regular dental visits allow us to pick up early warning signs and we also recommend booking an appointment as soon as you can if you develop symptoms between heck-ups. Look out for bleeding when you brush your teeth, soreness and tenderness in the gums and pain. If you have a high risk of gum disease, we may recommend seeing a dental hygienist on a regular basis; hygienists provide very thorough deep-cleaning treatments, which help to rid the mouth of bacteria.
