Gum disease is an exceedingly common dental problem and it can cause serious long-term problems both for your dental health as well as your overall wellbeing. Conversely, there are some pre-existing medical conditions that can make you much more likely to develop gum disease. If you have been diagnosed with gum disease by your dentist, then there are a couple of things that you should avoid in order to restore your total gum health. These things will also help people who still have healthy gums to maintain them in the long term.
Making Beneficial Food Choices Is A Step In The Right Direction
Your diet is one of the key factors in determining your overall health and this includes your teeth and gum health. Ideally, you will cut out as much sugar from your diet as possible as this feeds the bacteria that cause gum disease in the first place. In addition, you should try to choose foods that are low in saturated fats and sodium. Certain acid producing foods such as soft drinks should be avoided as much as possible as these can erode the tooth enamel.
In general, you should try to cut out as many processed foods as you can from your diet and instead replace them with fresh produce that is full of vitamins and minerals. In doing so, it is not only your oral health that will benefit, but your entire body and your energy levels too.
If you are a smoker or use chewing tobacco, then you should try to quit. You know that it is not good for your lungs, but, in addition, almost all smokers end up developing gum disease and even lose teeth because of the habit. Missing teeth are not a good look and you can prevent it from happening to you by quitting smoking as soon as possible. There are treatment programs available through pharmacies and doctors to help you quit successfully.
Choose Dental Products Carefully
When you have gum disease, there are certain kinds of dental products that you should be careful about. Avoid using hard or medium toothbrushes and instead opt for those that have soft bristles. These will be much gentler on sensitive gums and are just as effective at removing plaque and bacteria from your teeth. In addition, you should avoid using any mouthwash that contains alcohol. This ingredient is commonly found in mouthwashes and yet it can cause a lot of damage to sensitive gum tissue.
