Gum Disease Prevention: What You Can Do At Home

Gum disease prevention is one of the critical elements of oral health care and that a dentist engages in. The goal of gum disease prevention is to ensure that a patient does not have to suffer through the challenges associated with gum disease. Once gum disease advances far enough along, more intensive treatment will become necessary. While we can help prevent gum disease when a patient visits our office, we are not cleaning a patient’s teeth 24/7. If you are asking yourself, "what can I do to prevent gum disease?" There are a number of solutions.

Gum disease prevention begins with a toothbrush

Gum disease prevention starts in the home. As long as the patient and the patient’s family engage in proper oral hygiene habits, they are the first line of defense against any kind of gum disease. The best way to protect teeth is to brush them for at least two minutes twice a day. Taking the time to briefly brush after any kind of meal can also help with preventing gum disease. This will prevent the bacteria buildup that causes decay and disease in the mouth.

Using floss helps 

Using floss at least once a day will help to reduce the risk of gum disease. Floss can reach areas of the teeth that the toothbrush cannot reach. By thoroughly pulling the floss between the teeth, patients remove any potential for plaque to build up in the hard-to-reach spots. Flossing also helps to reduce the risk of gum disease at the base of the teeth and between the teeth. It is highly recommended that patients use floss as a means of gum disease prevention.

Regular dentist visits

Visiting the dentist at least twice every year is also important. When the patient elects to do this, they are giving the dentist the ability to identify and proactively work against the early onset of gum disease. In addition, the patient gets the benefit of the dentist performing a deep cleaning on the teeth which removes plaque that is hard to remove with a regular toothbrush, as well as providing treatments to the teeth that are starting to show signs of decay.

All of these are ways to effectively work against any kind of gum disease, and as long as you follow them, your chances of getting a gum disease are greatly reduced. Call today to schedule an appointment with our dental office.