Protect Yourself from Gum Disease

Don’t let gum disease ruin your smile. Find out how to safeguard yourself.

Our Fresno, CA, periodontist, Dr. Alexander Pritsky, is seeing more and more people with gum disease. Maybe you aren’t caring for your smile as well as you could or perhaps there are certain bad habits that could be leading to inflamed and unhappy gums. Whatever the case might be, we are here to provide a little insight into how to protect yourself from periodontal disease.

Brush Twice a Day

Sure, this may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes people forget to brush twice a day like they are supposed to. Maybe you had to rush to work and just didn’t have time to brush in the morning. Of course, you should make a point of brushing your teeth at least twice a day, but ideally after all meals. When you brush, make sure you are giving yourself at least 2-3 minutes. And don’t forget to brush your tongue!

Don’t Forget to Floss

While brushing is a great way to remove plaque and food from the front and back surfaces of your teeth, your toothbrush won’t be able to remove plaque and food from between teeth or the gum line as effectively. This is where floss comes in. Just by flossing once a day you can keep plaque buildup down and keep your gums healthy.

Consider Mouthwash

While the over-the-counter mouthwash may only mask bad breath, if you are prone to gum inflammation or plaque buildup then you may want to talk to your dentist about whether or not your smile could benefit from a therapeutic mouthwash. Instead of just hiding bad breath and other issues, therapeutic mouthwash will actually target the problem and improve your oral health.

Quit Smoking

Tobacco can really wreak havoc on your oral health, from causing nasty bad breath to increasing your chances of oral cancer. Of course, tobacco use can also greatly increase your risk for gum disease. In fact, smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for this chronic disease. If you want to protect your oral health then it’s time to talk to our Fresno dental implant dentist about ways to ditch the habit and keep it off.

Have questions about maintaining healthy gums? Need to schedule your next routine checkup? Our Fresno, CA, periodontal office has you covered. Whether you suspect that you have gum disease or not, you should still come in for regular dental care.