Chances are you don’t think about your gums much beyond ensuring that you brush your teeth twice daily. However, your gums are really important for your overall health. In addition to helping you to maintain strong, healthy teeth, your gums are connected to a range of other health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy complications, and dementia.

So, it’s safe to say that looking after your gums is of the utmost importance, and here are a few things that can help you with that.

Floss daily

Flossing at least once each day will really help to get rid of the hard-to-reach plaque that brushing often doesn’t touch, which means your gums will be clean and less likely to develop problems. If you really hate it, try a Waterpik, which will do the same thing without the uncomfortable flossing situation.

Schedule regular dental cleanings

Having a professional dentist, like the ones at Personal Care Dentistry, regularly clean your teeth is really important if you want healthy gums. Your dentist is best able to notice the early signs of gum disease and help you treat it before it becomes a serious problem. Not only that, but they are the only people who can effectively get rid of tartar from your teeth, which means they can prevent gingivitis and potentially reverse it.

Stop smoking

If you smoke, one of the best things you can do to maintain healthy gums is to stop smoking. Smoking and gum disease are strongly correlated, and when you have a gum infection, it can be harder to fight it due to the weaker immune system you, as a smoker, are likely to have. There are so many products and counseling schemes that can help you to give up tobacco.

Switch to an electric toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes are more effective at cleaning the teeth and gums than manual brushes, so make the switch and be sure to use your new electric toothbrush twice daily.

Try a therapeutic mouthwash

Therapeutic mouthwashes have been shown to reduce plaque and gingivitis, They can also slow down the development of tartar, which means if you use them to rinse your mouth after a meal, and after brushing, you will be doing a great thing for your gums. Just make sure that the mouthwash you choose has the ADA seal of approval if you want to ensure that it will do what it’s supposed to.

Eat well

Eating a healthy diet that’s low in sugar and high in calcium, quality fats, and all of the vitamins and minerals a healthy human needs will help to maintain healthier gums too.

Your gums are important, so give them some TLC.