Are your gums bleeding? Wondering what the best practices are for keeping your gums healthy?
Gum bleeding is one of the signs of gum disease also known as gingivitis. Along with causing red, inflamed and receding gums, it can cause loose teeth, and even tooth loss as well as bone damage of the surrounding bone tissue also known as periodontitis. Gum disease is one of the most common dental conditions that our North York Toronto, ON, dentist Dr. Ana Santana Guerrero and her team treat. In fact, the Canadian Dental Association states that 7 out of 10 Canadians will develop gum disease at some point during their lifetime. Fortunately, preventing gum disease is easy when you follow these gum-friendly tips,
Brush twice a day
This simple habit can help to remove plaque, food particles and bacteria from the chewing surfaces, front and back surfaces of your teeth along the gum line. It’s important that you are spending at least two minutes brushing your teeth each time. You should, at the very least, brush your teeth once in the morning and again in the evening before bedtime.
Flossing every day
While brushing is one of the best ways to keep your teeth and gums clean, it can’t always get into those spaces between teeth where food, plaque and germs also lie. If you aren’t flossing every day, then you are leaving your smile susceptible to gum disease. All you have to do is floss your teeth once a day (ideally in the evening once you’ve finished eating) in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Otherwise, you risk developing cavities between teeth and gum disease.
Quit smoking
Are you still a smoker? Even if you only smoke occasionally, this habit is detrimental to your oral health. Apart from the fact that smoking can give you pretty serious bad breath, this noxious habit can also increase your risk for gum disease, as it disrupts the normal function of the gum tissue. It also restricts blood flow to the gums, which can delay healing. Having trouble ditching the habit? Talk with our North York Toronto, ON, family dentists to discuss ways to give up smoking to maintain a healthier smile.
Eat a Healthy Diet
The foods you eat also impact your oral health. So, if you eat a diet that is high in processed or junk foods, as well as sugar and starches then you are putting yourself at risk for gum disease and cavities. It’s important that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet that is full of colorful fruits and veggies, lean sources of protein such as fish or chicken, low-fat dairy, legumes, beans and nuts and seeds. It’s also important to limit alcohol. Some supplements that help maintain and improve your gum condition are: Collagen, Vitamins C - D - E, Omega 3, and others. Dr. Ana Santana Guerrero recently published a Nutritional Guide on this subject and you are available to request a free pdf copy for you to read by contacting Astra Dental. You can send us an email using the contact us section at the bottom of the page: https://www.astradental.ca/about-us.
Whether you are noticing red, bleeding, puffy gums, or you simply need to schedule your six-month dental cleaning with our North York Toronto, ON, dentist Dr. Ana Santana Guerrero and her team, don’t hesitate to call Astra Dental at (416) 640-0070.
