Main photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
Gum disease is a serious problem that can affect your oral health. It's important to take care of your gums, but it can be difficult to know what you should do for them. Luckily, there are many ways you can keep your teeth and gums healthy!
In this blog post, we will talk about maintaining gum health and preventing gum problems from developing in the future.
What Makes Your Gums Unhealthy?
Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is a common condition that affects many people. It can affect anyone of any age, and it's most often caused by plaque buildup between your teeth and along the gum line.
Plaque is a sticky film made up of bacteria that easily attaches to your teeth when you don't brush or floss properly. When plaque is not removed regularly, it will harden and turn into tartar/calculus (also known as calculus), which can cause inflammation and irritation of the gums.
This leads to your gums becoming tender or sore, red and swollen, bleeding easily when you brush or floss your teeth, becoming receded from the teeth, and even possibly losing some teeth.
Gum disease can also occur when your gums are not stimulated regularly or do not receive the proper nutrients from your diet to stay healthy. This is because plaque buildup on your gum line will eventually lead to periodontitis (gum disease), which causes bone loss that leads to tooth loss. Gum disease can also be caused by other factors such as hormonal changes, pregnancy, smoking or tobacco use, stress levels, and genetics.
How To Improve Your Gums Naturally?
Gum disease is a very serious condition that can be difficult to treat. It's important to take preventative measures in order to keep your gums healthy and free of plaque buildup!
Luckily, there are many natural ways you can improve gum health. Here are some tips on how you can get started today!
Drink More Water
Drinking more water each day can keep your mouth healthy and free from dryness. This will also help remove bacteria that may cause gum disease or tooth decay!
Brush & Floss Daily
It's very important to brush, floss, and scrape the plaque off of your teeth every single day for a healthy mouth and gums.
Use Toothpaste & Mouth Rinse
Using toothpaste and mouth rinse that contains fluoride will help prevent tartar buildup.
Gargle With Salt Water
It's very simple! Just mix a teaspoon of salt into some warm water and gargle it for 30 seconds before spitting out the mixture, then brush your teeth to remove any remaining plaque or bacteria from your gums.
Eat A Balanced Diet
Having a healthy diet can help keep your gums strong and prevent them from becoming inflamed.
Eat More Vegetables & Fruits
Eating more vegetables and fruits will provide your body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. This includes vitamin C, which will strengthen gum tissue by increasing collagen production in your gums.
Manage Stress Levels
Keeping stress levels under control is important because high amounts of cortisol can cause inflammation that leads to periodontitis (gum disease). It's also a good idea to reduce your exposure to cigarette smoke, which can affect your gums very negatively.
Take Supplements
There are many supplements you could consider taking that will help improve gum health naturally! Studies have shown that Vitamin D may reverse bone loss in periodontitis (gum disease) patients, while omega-three fatty acids from fish have also shown to reduce bone loss in the mouth.
Visit The Dentist On A Regular Basis
Visiting your dentist for a routine cleaning and checkup at least twice per year is very important! During this time, you will be able to get any necessary treatment or care from them before gum disease becomes worse.
Avoid Smoking & Tobacco Use
It's never too late to stop smoking or using tobacco products, as this may help reduce inflammation levels in the mouth that can eventually lead to periodontitis (gum disease).
Which Vitamin Is Good For Gums?
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is very beneficial for your gums because it strengthens the collagen in your gum tissue, which allows them to stay healthy and strong.
Calcium & Vitamin D
Studies have shown that calcium and vitamin D can improve gum health by strengthening the collagen in your gums, which helps keep them healthy.
Vitamin E
Supplementing with vitamin E may be able to reduce inflammation in the body, which is very beneficial for maintaining good oral health! This includes healthy teeth and gums.
Omega-three Fatty Acids (From Fish)
Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids from fish can reduce inflammation levels in the mouth, which is very important for protecting against periodontitis (gum disease).
Zinc & Magnesium
Zinc and magnesium are both minerals that your gums need to stay healthy and strong. This is because zinc helps create collagen in the body, which keeps your gums strong. Magnesium can also help with the re-mineralization of teeth!
Selenium & Vitamin B12
Supplementing with selenium may be able to reduce inflammation levels that can lead to periodontitis (gum disease). Vitamin B12 is also very beneficial for gum health because it promotes the production of red blood cells, which are necessary to carry oxygen throughout your body.
Iron & Vitamin A
Both iron and vitamin A is very important for the health of your teeth and gums because they can help stimulate new cell growth in these areas.
Vitamin K
Supplementing with vitamin K may be able to reduce inflammation that leads to periodontitis (gum disease). This is because it stimulates bone formation in the mouth, which is very beneficial for protecting against this disease.
Omega-six Fatty Acids (From Sesame Seeds)
Supplementing with omega-six fatty acids from sesame seeds may be able to reduce inflammation levels that can lead to periodontitis (gum disease).
Chamomile Extracts
Chamomile extract is also very beneficial for protecting against gum disease because it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation levels in the mouth.
Effects Of Having Unhealthy Gum
The effects of not having healthy gums are very serious for your overall health! Gum disease can cause you to lose teeth, which isn't only bad because it makes chewing food more difficult. They also contain bacteria that could enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. This causes inflammation in vital organs like your heart, liver, kidneys, and brain.
Additionally, people with gum disease are at a greater risk for developing other serious medical conditions like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Gum disease is also associated with increased pregnancy-related complications, which can be very dangerous for expecting mothers!
Keep Your Gums Healthy!
As you can see, keeping your gums healthy is very important for maintaining good oral health. This includes brushing and flossing on a daily basis to remove any excess plaque from the teeth and gums, seeing your dentist regularly for checkups and treatment if necessary, avoiding smoking or using tobacco products, choosing foods that promote gum health like calcium, vitamin D, Vitamin K, zinc and magnesium; and eating a well-balanced diet. These are all great lifestyle habits that can help you maintain good gum health!
