Why gum health is the hidden foundation of your smile
Gum health is the hidden foundation of your smile, and for many reasons. It’s not just that healthy gums anchor your teeth in place, but they also do a lot more, as well as contributing to your general health.
Structural support
Gums help to secure your teeth to the jawbone, which is important when it comes to keeping your teeth in place for many more years to come. Without that strong, structural support, your teeth are likely to weaken in their place and ultimately fall out a lot sooner.
A protective barrier
Creating a seal around your teeth, your gums helps to protect the roots of your teeth from harmful bacteria. Having receding gums or gum disease allows for the bacteria to worsen and ultimately cause infection and decay as a result.
Aesthetics and confidence in yourself
Healthy gums should be firm and pink, providing the right frame for your teeth. Without good gum health, you will likely notice your gums start to recede, as well as inflammation of the gums and bad breath.
All of the above can often lead to a knock in confidence.
Overall wellness
Gum health is often linked to your overall bodily health. It connects to issues with your heart health, as well as diabetes management, too.
The consequences of not looking after your gums
There are a number of consequences that can come from not looking after your gums. For example, tooth loss. Gum disease can often lead to bone loss around the teeth and ultimately result in tooth loss, even if your teeth are free from cavities.
Poor gums can lead to an unattractive smile, from inflammation to recession of gums and redness that can make the smile look less appealing. With an overgrowth of bacteria, you might also notice that you’ve got bad breath. This is often hard to spot yourself, but you might find some people stepping back slightly or directing their head in an odd way to avoid smelling your breath.
Simple habits that make a big difference
There are some simple habits that are worth implementing into your daily routine in order to improve your gum health and ensure you have healthy gums and teeth for as long as possible. Here are those steps to follow:
1. Brush twice a day and don’t forget your tongue
To help ensure you’re doing everything for your teeth to keep them clean, you should ideally be brushing two times a day or after every meal. Brushing for at least two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, paying attention to the gum line, is going to ensure your teeth are clean and free from debris and bacteria that will damage your teeth’s enamel. You also shouldn’t forget to brush your tongue because there’s a considerable amount of bacteria on there, too.
2. Floss daily
Flossing daily is a good way to make sure you’re getting in between every tooth because, unfortunately, your toothbrush isn’t going to get every last bit of food out of your mouth. With floss, it gets in between and helps to prevent gum disease from occurring if done on a daily basis. For some, the addition of mouthwash might be useful, but that’s not necessarily required for everyone.
3. Visit a professional
It’s good to make sure you’re in for routine checks when it comes to dental and periodontal services. These regular check-ups will ensure you’re getting any underlying problems seen too, rather than letting them go unchecked. While you can see everything on the surface and from a visual perspective, a dental professional may uncover more sinister issues.
4. Eat a balanced diet
A balanced diet will help to keep your teeth in good condition, but also help with your general health, which also contributes to bodily health, like your gums, too. Consume foods that are rich in vitamins C and D. Eat leafy greens and citrus fruits, whilst limiting sugary drinks and snacks where possible.
5. Stay hydrated
It’s good to stay hydrated when it comes to keeping your gums healthy. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is what will help keep your mouth moist. This ultimately helps to wash away food particles and any bacteria living in your mouth.
6. Quite smoking and reduce caffeine intake
By quitting smoking and reducing your caffeine intake, you’re getting rid of two things that can contribute to gum disease and stained teeth, which contribute to a lackluster appearance of your teeth.
7. Address dental issues immediately
Addressing any dental issues immediately is important when it comes to keeping your gums and teeth healthy. If you’re dismissing any obvious problems or ignoring the need to go and see your dentist, then you could be causing more dental issues as a result. At the first sign of something being wrong, look to address those dental problems as quickly as possible.
Gum health is the hidden foundation of your smile, and for many reasons. It’s not just that healthy gums anchor your teeth in place, but they also do a lot more, as well as contributing to your general health.
Structural support
Gums help to secure your teeth to the jawbone, which is important when it comes to keeping your teeth in place for many more years to come. Without that strong, structural support, your teeth are likely to weaken in their place and ultimately fall out a lot sooner.
A protective barrier
Creating a seal around your teeth, your gums helps to protect the roots of your teeth from harmful bacteria. Having receding gums or gum disease allows for the bacteria to worsen and ultimately cause infection and decay as a result.
Aesthetics and confidence in yourself
Healthy gums should be firm and pink, providing the right frame for your teeth. Without good gum health, you will likely notice your gums start to recede, as well as inflammation of the gums and bad breath.
All of the above can often lead to a knock in confidence.
Overall wellness
Gum health is often linked to your overall bodily health. It connects to issues with your heart health, as well as diabetes management, too.
The consequences of not looking after your gums
There are a number of consequences that can come from not looking after your gums. For example, tooth loss. Gum disease can often lead to bone loss around the teeth and ultimately result in tooth loss, even if your teeth are free from cavities.
Poor gums can lead to an unattractive smile, from inflammation to recession of gums and redness that can make the smile look less appealing. With an overgrowth of bacteria, you might also notice that you’ve got bad breath. This is often hard to spot yourself, but you might find some people stepping back slightly or directing their head in an odd way to avoid smelling your breath.
Simple habits that make a big difference
There are some simple habits that are worth implementing into your daily routine in order to improve your gum health and ensure you have healthy gums and teeth for as long as possible. Here are those steps to follow:
1. Brush twice a day and don’t forget your tongue
To help ensure you’re doing everything for your teeth to keep them clean, you should ideally be brushing two times a day or after every meal. Brushing for at least two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, paying attention to the gum line, is going to ensure your teeth are clean and free from debris and bacteria that will damage your teeth’s enamel. You also shouldn’t forget to brush your tongue because there’s a considerable amount of bacteria on there, too.
2. Floss daily
Flossing daily is a good way to make sure you’re getting in between every tooth because, unfortunately, your toothbrush isn’t going to get every last bit of food out of your mouth. With floss, it gets in between and helps to prevent gum disease from occurring if done on a daily basis. For some, the addition of mouthwash might be useful, but that’s not necessarily required for everyone.
3. Visit a professional
It’s good to make sure you’re in for routine checks when it comes to dental and periodontal services. These regular check-ups will ensure you’re getting any underlying problems seen too, rather than letting them go unchecked. While you can see everything on the surface and from a visual perspective, a dental professional may uncover more sinister issues.
4. Eat a balanced diet
A balanced diet will help to keep your teeth in good condition, but also help with your general health, which also contributes to bodily health, like your gums, too. Consume foods that are rich in vitamins C and D. Eat leafy greens and citrus fruits, whilst limiting sugary drinks and snacks where possible.
5. Stay hydrated
It’s good to stay hydrated when it comes to keeping your gums healthy. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is what will help keep your mouth moist. This ultimately helps to wash away food particles and any bacteria living in your mouth.
6. Quite smoking and reduce caffeine intake
By quitting smoking and reducing your caffeine intake, you’re getting rid of two things that can contribute to gum disease and stained teeth, which contribute to a lackluster appearance of your teeth.
7. Address dental issues immediately
Addressing any dental issues immediately is important when it comes to keeping your gums and teeth healthy. If you’re dismissing any obvious problems or ignoring the need to go and see your dentist, then you could be causing more dental issues as a result. At the first sign of something being wrong, look to address those dental problems as quickly as possible.
How confidence starts with what you don’t see
It’s always beneficial to address those dental issues with vigilance. Scheduling regular dental checkups helps to identify any underlying issues and helps improve dental health in general. When it comes to maintaining a healthy and happy smile, look after your gums. Your gums should ideally be pink and not bleeding regularly when brushing or flossing, as this can all point to potential gum disease.
Confidence can be boosted when you’re looking after your gum health and oral care in general. Make sure you’re looking at how to improve your smile this year.
It’s always beneficial to address those dental issues with vigilance. Scheduling regular dental checkups helps to identify any underlying issues and helps improve dental health in general. When it comes to maintaining a healthy and happy smile, look after your gums. Your gums should ideally be pink and not bleeding regularly when brushing or flossing, as this can all point to potential gum disease.
Confidence can be boosted when you’re looking after your gum health and oral care in general. Make sure you’re looking at how to improve your smile this year.
This is a contributed post.
Photo: Elle Taiwan
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