Tips For Preventing Periodontal Disease

If you are serious about keeping your teeth and gums in great condition, then you may do your best to brush, floss, and rinse daily. Periodontal disease is a serious ailment though, so you may want to do more to ensure that it never crops up. Keep reading to learn about a few simple tasks you can complete to prevent periodontal disease.

Rinse Your Mouth

If you are able to, you should brush after every meal. This helps with the removal of leftover food particles, plaque, and bacteria. However, if you cannot brush, then you should at least rinse your mouth out with a bit of water. Make sure to also spit the water out when you are done. This simple act of spitting can remove a good portion of the bacteria in your mouth.

You can also slip a piece of gum in your mouth in between meals. Sugar-free types of gum, like the ones made with xylitol can be used throughout the day to encourage the production of saliva. The saliva helps to control bacteria growth and it also washes food and microorganisms out of the mouth and away from the gums.

Gum chewing can also force saliva down into the small gum pockets around the teeth to keep them clear of bacteria.

Invest In A New Toothbrush

Your dentist will likely advise you to throw out your old toothbrush and invest in a new one every three to four months. If you do not head this advice, then you should start to ensure the health of your gum tissues. Old toothbrushes hold bacteria over time and can actually contribute to an increase in bacterial activity within the oral cavity. This means that you probably should be investing in some sort of toothbrush sanitizing technique about once a week as well. You can purchase a UV sanitizer or you can simply dip your toothbrush in some boiling water for a few minutes.

When you do buy a new toothbrush, look for one that has a small head. This can help you to get into the gum pockets to remove bacteria that can contribute to periodontal disease. Electronic toothbrushes are ideal, since they allow you to gently massage the gums. This encourages blood flow and the transport of nutrients and oxygen to the delicate tissues.

If you want to know more about periodontal disease and the types of things you can do to prevent the ailment, speak with a  dentist or a gum specialist, like Tony Parsley, DMD.

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