How To Improve Gum Health | Hancock Village Dental

Are you worried about your gum health and developing gingivitis or periodontal disease? The good news is that there are things you can do to help improve your gum health and reduce the risk of getting gum disease. Here are a few tips from our dentist at Hancock Village Dental in Clermont.

1. Start Early

If you have kids, start their dental care early. Most children should have a first visit shortly after their first tooth erupts. Once they reach preschool age, our pediatric dentist in Clermont recommends yearly (or bi-yearly depending on development) dental visits to check tooth and gum health. As your child enters their pre-teen and teen years, it’s important to get them evaluated for braces and to increase the frequency of dental visits to twice a year if they are still only visiting our dentist once a year.

2. Brush, Floss, Rinse

It’s important to brush, floss, and use mouthwash on a daily basis. This means brushing your teeth at least twice a day for three minutes. Most people choose to brush their teeth in the morning and before they go to bed, but you can brush your teeth after every meal to help reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth and to help remove more plaque before it turns into tartar. Flossing should be done at least once a day, and you should use mouthwash as necessary.

3. Use Proper Techniques When Brushing

When brushing your teeth, it’s important to use the proper techniques in order to remove as much plaque and food particles as possible. This includes surfaces from your teeth, gum line, and tongue. To brush the fronts and backs of your teeth, use small circles. To brush along your gum line, angle the brush 45-degrees to your gums and brush gently. Once you are finished brushing your teeth, remember to brush your tongue. You can brush your tongue with your toothbrush, or you can buy a tongue scraper.

4. Limit Sugary Drinks and Snacks

Every time you eat, the bacteria in your mouth explode. When saliva, food particles, and bacteria mix, it creates plaque. If plaque is left on your teeth for long, it can cause tooth decay and harden into tartar. Tartar tends to collect on the teeth and below the gum line, which can lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Our dentist in Clermont recommends limiting your intake of sugary snacks and candy during the day and switching sugary drinks for water. If you must have something sweet, it’s best to eat or drink it after meals when your saliva production is high.

5. Make Sure Any Chronic Diseases Are Well-Managed

Certain chronic diseases, like high blood pressure, auto-immune diseases, and diabetes can increase your risk of developing gum disease by increasing the bacteria in your mouth and causing poor circulation to the gums. In order to ensure your gums are healthy, it’s important to speak regularly with your family doctor about managing your chronic condition. In addition to proper management, you may also want to schedule more frequent appointments with our family dentist in Clermont, like every four months instead of every six months.

6. Get Regular Dental Checkups with Our Clermont Dentist

Regular dental checkups with our Clermont family dentist is integral in maintaining and improving your gum health. Dental checkups ensure that all of the tartar is removed from your teeth, which can appear as yellow or brown stains and lead to the development of gingivitis. The professional teeth cleaning process also includes using a polish that helps keep food from sticking to your teeth for a short amount of time. If you have any cavities, they are filled during your appointment, and if our dentist in Clermont notices any signs of gum disease, a treatment plan will be developed in order to restore the health of your gums. You can also get all your oral hygiene and dental questions answered during your regular appointments.

To schedule an appointment with our local dentists at Hancock Village Dental in Clermont, give us a call at 352-989-5815.