Sometimes during the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day lives, our dental hygiene can fall short—we forget to floss, we don’t brush long enough, and ingest food that increases plaque.

Here are some tips on proper precautionary measures to avoid gum disease.

What even is gum disease?

Gum disease is a direct effect of poor dental hygiene, and can cause pain and swollen gums. When it progresses, it can lead to tooth and gum decay. The great news is, gum disease is super preventative by taking better care of yourself when it comes to dental care.

How you can practice good dental hygiene?

See your dentist regularly

Even if you feel fine, it is easy to find excuses to skip or push back dental exams. Your dental cleaning is super important to remove plaque and exam for any potential dental health issues. Like anything health related, you want to get a handle on your health so you don’t have to deal with any problems further down the line.

Diet matters

Smoking, drinking a lot of soda,  and having too much citrus in your diet, can lead to tooth decay– therefore ridding or limiting the consumption of these items are beneficial. Instead try consuming more milk and dairy products. They are really great for dental health, as they are great sources of calcium and help with bone growth. Other foods rich in vitamins like eggs, fish, and leafy vegetables are going to benefit your health as well.  And of course, drinking plenty of water will always help wash away excess sugar and food from your teeth.

The take away from these tips is to be cautious of the foods you are putting into your body and the potential effects they will have on your overall health before indulging.

Brush and floss

Take your time. Spend time getting rid of all the bacteria you can that has built up throughout your day by brushing and flossing. Brushing and flossing are both important because flossing gets to the places your toothbrush can’t reach. So, it’s extremely important to include both in your dental routine.

Common signs

If you are experiencing swollen gums, gums that are bleeding, space between your teeth, pain eating, receding gums, see a dentist as soon as possible. Do not wait for the pain to become unbearable. Listen to your body and take care of the problem before it becomes more difficult to treat.

Treatment

Gum disease in the long run will affect not just your dental health, but can start effecting your overall health from the bacteria in your mouth effecting other parts of your body. Eventually, it can even lead to tooth loss if severe enough.

Treatment will depend on the severity of damage to your gums and teeth and will be determines by your dentist. You may be given special toothpaste, require more frequent appointments, antibiotics, or even surgical procedures.

Make a point to stop and take a few extra minutes in your day to go the extra mile with your dental routine– and in return, enjoy a healthier life because of it.