In some cases, early-stage gum disease can be successfully reversed without significant dental treatments. Even if you are developing progressive gum disease, there are changes you can make in combination with dental treatments to rehabilitate your gums.
Brush Thoroughly
Brushing your teeth twice per day remains an invaluable step in preventing or reducing gum disease. Some people need to be more thorough than others with their brushing because their teeth are crooked or closely spaced, making it difficult to effectively clean them. After you brush your teeth, you can usually feel the surface of each tooth with your tongue. This helps you find any spots you missed. You might also notice if you have minimal space between teeth, the areas where they touch may not feel smooth. If you face these difficulties with cleaning your teeth, you might find battery-operated toothbrushes, especially those with a smaller brush head, are more effective for your teeth. Also consider using battery-operated toothbrushes designed for children, since they may be more effective at getting into tight spaces.
Try Different Flosses
Flossing is another important step in the battle against gum disease. Since everyone's teeth are different, you may find some types of floss work better than others without causing more irritation. Although using waxed dental floss can be uncomfortable, especially if you have closely-spaced teeth, you should find with regular use flossing becomes easier and more comfortable. Water flossers are a good tool to use in combination with traditional dental floss. You may find it is easier to loosen stubborn particles in hard-to-reach areas. Also, if you are already seeing the effects of gum disease, such as receding gums, it might be easier and more gentle to remove plaque and food particles from the gum line without pain or discomfort when using water. Ideally, you will floss before you brush to help loosen particles that can be brushed away.
Use Better Mouthwashes
Most people only think of their mouthwash as a way to freshen their breath, but mouthwash has evolved to serve more purposes. When you have gum disease, your mouthwash can be your ally or also make the problem worse. Ideally, you will minimize your use of mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Although many mouthwashes that are designed to help fight bacteria contain alcohol, you may be drying-out your mouth with alcohol, possibly making gum disease worse. When choosing a mouthwash, try options that have antimicrobial properties. These may include chemical compounds designed to be antiseptic or natural ingredients, such as tea tree oil. Hydrogen peroxide is also an ingredient that is associated with killing bacteria, but overuse can also cause problems, so you may want to use products containing peroxide sparingly.
Although regular dental treatments will be necessary to avoid serious problems associated with gum disease, you can do more at home. Being more thorough with your oral care, especially when you have crooked or tightly-spaced teeth, will help you win the battle. Contact a clinic, like Fuller Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, for more help.
Is your knee stiff and painful every morning when you get out of bed? Perhaps, you sometimes feel a grinding sensation in your knee. If you can relate to this frustrating situation, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis. Thankfully, several treatments are available for this joint condition. Sometimes, physicians recommend patients battling osteoarthritis of the knee take a prescription painkiller. Doctors also often encourage patients to lose weight and start a low-impact exercise program. Swimming and walking are both great forms of low-impact exercise. On this blog, I hope you will discover how to effectively and quickly relieve the painful symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. Enjoy!