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Fight Gum Disease
As with any challenge, knowing your adversary is a key element of success.
Well, in the case of gum disease, the adversary is a little difficult to pin down. It is of course bacteria in the mouth that are the root cause of gum disease and are responsible for much of the damage inflicted by gum disease. But unfortunately, you can’t just destroy all bacteria without running into other issues.
We have good bacteria that help us to digest our food and bad bacteria that can be the cause of many of the nasty symptoms of gum disease. A healthy oral cavity is well balanced, i.e. good bacteria are predominant and even help to keep the bad bacteria at bay. When the oral balance is off, bad bacteria can multiply freely and may invade weakened areas of the gums. Once they are entrenched in perio pockets, it is hard work getting rid of them.
But fighting gum disease is not rocket science, it just takes at little knowledge and determination:
Keep Teeth Clean
- To keep gums healthy, always use a soft or ultrasoft toothbrush and replace a worn brush regularly. Toothbrushes with hard or regular bristles may damage the gums and create ports of entry for bad bacteria.
- Never share a toothbrush with your partner; bacteria may proliferate on a toothbrush.
- Use a natural toothpaste without harsh chemicals that can harm gums.
- Clean between the teeth with floss or better interdental brushes to remove plaque.
- Have your teeth cleaned regularly to remove tartar buildup on teeth.
Control Bacteria
- Use antiseptic toothpaste and mouthrinse regularly, especially if you have active infections. But don’t overdo it! The good bacteria in you mouth can actually help to control bad bacteria as well.
- Rinse copiously with water before going to bed. This cleans out any food remains and reduces bacterial count in the mouth, a simple and effective way to control bacteria.
- Clean your tongue with a special tongue scraper to remove the sludge deposit on a daily basis. This alone can help to control bacteria and dramatically reduce the incidence of bad breath.
Help Gums to Heal
- After years of attacks by bacteria and mechanical abrasion, gum can become weak and thin. Make sure you provide essential vitamins to your body that are periodontally active, such as vitamin C or folic acid.
- Some nutritional supplements such as aloe vera are especially effective for gums
- Newer research shows that gum conditioners using CoQ10 therapy have achieved remarkable success in helping damaged gums to heal.
- Avoid dangerous or damaging chemicals such as mouthrinses with alcohol or toothpastes with sodium lauryl sulfate
A lot of the measures to fight gum disease are common sense; once you know your adversary you are already on the road to success. But perhaps the most important factor in this challenge is the human factor, it is your own determination and persistence that will help you to win!
