10 Step Guide to Healthy Gums

Here is your 10 step guide on how to have healthy gums

Looking after your teeth and gums can prevent gum disease. This means adopting good habits in oral hygiene and getting regular professional check-ups.

Here are the key factors to achieving healthy gums:

• Brush your teeth twice a day (first thing in the morning and last thing at night) using an electric toothbrush, for at least 2 minutes each time.
• Cleaning in between your teeth at least once a day using interdental brushes or floss.
• Use of other adjuncts like a tongue scraper or mouthwash may be helpful.
• Don’t ignore any initial signs of gum disease such as bleeding gums and bad breath.
• Find out if anyone in your family such as siblings suffer from gum/periodontal disease and be extra vigilant if they do as it can run in families.
• Go for regular gum screens with your dentist/hygienist so if gum disease does develop it can be picked up early.
• Have regular (3-6 monthly) professional cleaning with your hygienist.
• Ensure you’ve had a general health screen as conditions such as diabetes can have a significant influence on the health of the gums.
• Eat well to include a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables.
• Don’t embark on any other complicated treatment e.g. braces or dental implants, until your gums are healthy.

For more information on healthy gums, gum disease, dental and articles, make sure to read our other blogs.

More information on periodontal can be found on the British Society of Periodontology and Implant dentistry website.