Avoiding Gingivitis: What You Can Do To Keep Your Mouth Healthy

Worried about gingivitis? You should be because it can lead to worse oral health problems down the road. Your best course of action is to avoid it altogether. But how do you do that?

Aside from the obvious of sticking to those regular dental cleanings and checkups, there are a few things you can do at home to avoid getting gingivitis and keeping your mouth healthy.

Brush your teeth after meals

After you put down your fork, pick up your toothbrush. Brushing at least twice daily helps get rid of that nasty plaque that can lead to gingivitis. Ideally, you should brush after every meal you eat.

Go electric

If you really want to boost your plaque-busting potential, choose an electric toothbrush. This will make short work of effective brushing.

Watch those bristles

Electric or not, you should always choose a toothbrush or cleaning head that has extra-soft or soft bristles. Anything firmer than that might not sweep away all that plaque.

Stop hanging onto old toothbrushes

Have you replaced your toothbrush recently? Don’t get sentimental, just toss it out every three months. Germs build up on the bristles and you’re just pushing them around your mouth over and over again. If you’ve been sick, you should replace your toothbrush even sooner!

Don’t forget that floss

Flossing can be a bit of a pain, but it’s better than having gingivitis. Make the time to floss at least once per day to keep food particles and plaque out of your gum line.

Change your mouthwash

Go for a natural mouthwash instead or at the very least, ditch anything with alcohol in it. Mouthwash shouldn’t burn!

Give up tobacco products

Whether you chew it or smoke it, tobacco use can increase your risk of periodontitis. It tarnishes your smile and can make your dental treatments less effective if you continue.

Work on stress management

Stress causes the body to have a more difficult time fighting infections. Take yoga, meditate, talk to friends, exercise, or do something that makes you feel less stressed out every day.

Know what to eat and not eat

A proper diet that is balanced with the vitamins and minerals you need will help your body fight gingivitis. Focus on getting enough leafy green vegetables, citrus, nuts, and foods with antioxidants which can give your body what it needs to repair any damaged tissue. Additionally, cut back on that sugar to save your smile!

Don’t grind those teeth

When your kids spill juice in the backseat or your boss asks you to stay late again, watch how you clench your jaw! Clenching and grinding puts excessive force on the tissues that support your teeth which could make them deteriorate.

Start focusing on these gingivitis-busting tips today and hopefully your dentist will tell you that you’re doing a great job keeping your mouth healthy!

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Written By:

Jennifer Raskin is a freelance writer, wife and mom that loves cold weather despite her location in Florida, cooking, reading, watching ‘80s movies, weight-lifting, and wine tasting.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.