09 Feb How Can I Prevent Gum Disease?

If you want a strong and healthy smile, then it’s important to prevent gum disease as much as possible. Gum disease is a dangerous dental issue that can result in loose and lost teeth if you let it. It begins when you fail to remove the plaque on your smile. In time, the plaque irritates your gums and turns into tartar. Eventually, your gums will recede from your teeth, causing pockets of infection. Then, the bacterial tartar will dive under your gums and attack your underlying bone, causing bone deterioration.

To help you prevent this serious dental disease, Dr. Audrey Kemp and our team encourage you to do the following things:

–Brush your teeth: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Doing so will remove the plaque and bacteria from your smile on a regular basis. As you brush, make sure to thoroughly clean the inner, outer, and top surfaces of each tooth.

–Floss your smile: Make sure to floss your smile at least once a day. You can use whichever product you prefer, but be gentle as you do so. Flossing can remove the plaque and bacteria that live in the crevices and hard-to-reach areas of your smile. As you floss, make sure to meticulously clean the space between the gums and tooth.

–Rinse your mouth: It’s recommended to rinse your mouth with mouthwash once a day. While rinsing, make sure to use an antibacterial or anti-gingivitis mouthwash. These products also help remove the plaque and bacteria from your smile.

–Keep up on your six-month checkups: Your dental cleanings are vital for your oral health and for the prevention of gum disease. This is because the treatment involved is the only way to completely remove the plaque and tartar from your smile. Without this treatment, the plaque can attack and harm your smile. So, make sure to keep up with your six-month checkups.

If you do these things, you’ll be on your way to a strong, healthy, and disease-free smile! To learn more about gum disease in Durham, North Carolina, or to schedule your next dental checkup, call Bull City Dental at 919-680-3531 when you can. Our dental team will be happy to help you in any way we can!