How to get healthy gums: Oral hygiene practices to adopt

Having healthy gums and overall satisfactory oral health is quite a rarity in today's day and age. Although the teeth and gums are often overlooked, they play an important role in health.

The teeth, or dentition, help you chew and resist acids in the stomach. The gums, or mouth as a whole, also play an integral part by helping with saliva production to keep the teeth clean and prevent bacteria from entering the inner cavity of the mouth.

The mouth is home to millions of microorganisms that thrive in it. If you want to keep it clean and germ-free, you need to adopt healthy oral hygiene practices. The following tips will help you get healthy gums.

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Oral Hygiene Practices For Healthy Gums

Don’t brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush

Brushing your teeth may feel like a good idea, but brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush can wear down your teeth, potentially weakening them and leaving you at risk of tooth decay.

Opt for a toothbrush with a hard bristle instead. That's is essential in removing plaque, the bacteria that cause tooth decay, and food particles that cling to the surface of teeth.

A toothbrush with bristles that are too soft will not be able to remove the plaque and build-up that cause tooth decay. Instead of using a toothbrush with a soft bristle, invest in a toothbrush with a bristle hardness scale. That will let you know just how hard your bristles are, and you will be able to tell when you’ve brushed your teeth properly.

Removing the plaque from your teeth is the first step to obtaining healthy gums. Bonus tip — flossing is always welcome and usually the best option for a healthy set of pearly whites.

Use a fluoride toothpaste

Most kinds of toothpaste these days have fluoride as the active ingredient. Fluoride is used to strengthen teeth and develop healthy gums, preventing them from becoming weak and prone to tooth decay.

While most toothpastes have both natural and synthetic ingredients, only use a toothpaste with fluoride. That will help keep the gums healthy and strong. If you're looking to strengthen your teeth, use a toothpaste with a higher concentration of fluoride, ideally above 5%. That will help build up the teeth’s mineral content.

Rinse your mouth with warm water regularly

if you want healthy gums, make sure to rinse your mouth with water, as it will help remove the bacteria and plaque that build up between teeth. If you don’t rinse, those bacteria and plaque accumulate in the mouth and lead to bad breath.

Rinsing also helps remove excess saliva, which is vital for keeping the mouth clean. If you’re not used to rinsing your mouth with warm water, start with a mild temperature.

If you don’t feel comfortable rinsing with warm water, you might have accidentally acquired bad breath from eating something that left a lingering odor in your mouth. Start with rinsing with cold water, and gradually increase the temperature till you feel comfortable rinsing with warm water.

Quit smoking

Smoking can be injurious in your pursuit of healthy gums. (Image via Pexels/Irina Iriser)

Smoking is a known risk factor for oral health problems, such as gum disease, black marks on the teeth, and tooth loss. Quitting smoking can significantly improve oral health and help you get healthy gums, as smoking causes an increase in the amount of acid in the mouth.

You need to make sure that you brush your teeth for a full two minutes after every cigarette you smoke. That will keep the harmful acid levels in the mouth from increasing.

You should also make sure to floss your teeth once or twice a day to get rid of the remaining bits of tobacco that remain between teeth. If you're unable to quit smoking on your own or have difficulty quitting, speak to your doctor about FDA-approved smoking cessation therapies.

Eat a balanced diet to keep gums healthy

A healthy diet is key to maintaining good oral health and healthy gums. A diet that's too acidic leaves teeth vulnerable to damage and disease.

Your diet should consist of a wide array of nutrients to help keep the gums and teeth healthy. A diet high in protein, vitamin C, and iron is an excellent start. A diet high in vegetables and fruits, such as apples, oranges, grapes, and watermelon, is also recommended.

Foods high in sugar and salt should be avoided, as they can lead to an imbalance of fluids in the mouth and create an environment for bacteria to thrive in. A diet high in fiber, such as whole grains, is also recommended. Fiber can help keep the stomach acidic, which is extremely helpful in maintaining healthy gums.

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Tooth decay, periodontal disease, and gum disease are the most common oral health problems. These diseases are caused primarily by poor dental hygiene and are largely preventable through proper oral hygiene practices.

You need to brush your teeth twice a day and floss them once. You can also use mouthwash to rinse your mouth between brushing and flossing. You should drink plenty of water, as it helps to wash away the debris in the mouth and also keeps the mouth hydrated.

Finally, make sure that you have a balanced diet with plenty of fiber and Vitamin C to keep your mouth healthy.