The top three ways to prevent gum disease are as follows.
- Brush and floss at least twice a day. Brushing after meals helps remove food debris and plaque trapped between your teeth and gums. Don’t forget to include your tongue; bacteria loves to hide there. If you can, brush three times a day! Flossing helps remove food particles and plaque between teeth and along the gum line that your toothbrush can’t quite reach.
- Do not smoke. Researchers say tobacco can suppress the body’s immune system, reducing its ability to fight infection. Smoking also limits the growth of blood vessels, slowing the healing of damaged gum tissue. Current smokers were about four times more likely than people who have never smoked to have periodontitis, but ex-smokers who had abstained for 11 years faced no increased risk, according to the findings published in the Journal of Periodontology. Overall, nearly 53 percent of gum disease in the study was attributed to current and former smoking. Keep your drinking to a moderate form.
- Make sure you go to the dentist on a regular basis to get a professional cleaning, have x-rays taken, and have the professionals monitor your oral cavity situation. Identifying symptoms of gum disease early is key to protecting your teeth and gums.
