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Teeth come in various shapes and sizes, depending on their position and what they’re meant for. Having great teeth is essential for having a great smile, which in several situations can work to your advantage. However, your gums are what hold all teeth together, regardless of their shape, size or position. Without gums, people would find it hard to chew, talk or even smile, which is why taking care of your gums should be a priority on everyone’s list.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is an inflammation of the gum line that is caused by the improper care of mouth bacteria that can even go further and affect the bone of the jaw, from which teeth grow. Essentially, there are three stages of gum disease, each slowly and gradually becoming worse than the other.

The first stage of gum disease is Gingivitis, which is the simple inflammation of gum that is caused by a large buildup of plaque at the gum line, which leads to the bleeding of gums while flossing or brushing. This usually occurs if the person doesn’t brush or floss regularly, as leaves the bacteria to devour all food and sugary debris that passes through the person’s mouth and is left behind in the teeth.

The second stage of gum disease is Periodontitis which is when the bacteria reach your jaw bone and the bone and fibers that connect the gum line to the bone are damaged. This is usually the stage when other people can tell that you have gum disease as your gums begin to recede and form pockets under your normal gum line, which serve as even bigger reservoirs of collected food for the bacteria.

The last and most advanced stage of gum disease is Advanced Periodontitis, when the fibers and bone that hold up your teeth are completely and totally destroyed, affecting your smile, biting power and even causing your teeth to shift out of place. Teeth even may need to be removed if proper medical health isn’t asked for in time, and chances of recovering from this stage is a long shot.

How can you take care of your gums and make them stronger?

Appropriate dental hygiene is the way to go, in terms of taking care of your overall mouth. By brushing flossing and eating well, not only do your gum benefits, but your teeth also grow stronger, your breath smells fresher and your dentist has less work to do during the dental checks ups. The following are some very easy ways that you can take care of your mouth and get on the road to getting stronger gums.

1. Visit your dentist: Be sure to visit your dentist every 6 to 12 months to check the overall condition of your mouth and stop nay diseases in its tracks. Dentists are well equipped to detect gum disease in its early stage when it is still salvageable, so visit your dentist often and go over ways to improve your mouth’s condition to stop gum diseases from spreading and reduce damage as much as possible.
2. Brush your teeth twice a day: The act of brushing kills two birds with one stone, because not only does it leave you feeling minty fresh, but it also rubs off any and all plaque buildup from the day or night and washes it down. In addition to rubbing off bacteria, the massaging and circular motions of the brush bristles on your gums increases circulation and improves overall gum health, which is always a bonus to have when fighting against gum diseases.
3. Floss well: Flossing is the one act that goes directly in between your teeth and flushes out any bacteria that is residing in those hard to reach places. It also kicks out any debris and food stuck in between teeth, particularly the ones that are hard to get out with a toothbrush, like corn or caramel, which minimizes all chances of getting gum disease.
4. Use mouthwash: Mouthwash not only strengthen the tooth’s enamel coating but also flushes out bacteria from all regions of the mouth. Using mouthwash at an early age and successfully rinsing your mouth for at least 2 to 3 minutes with it is a good way to keep gum disease at bay.
5. Have a healthy diet: Keeping starchy and sugary and process foods away is the best if you want to avoid gum disease, as the guar in the food increase plaque and increases chances of gum disease. Having a healthy and balanced diet is necessary as it not only provides all the right nutrients, but also reduces the food the plaque can devour in your mouth.

Having great and strong gums is the best way to have a great smile. By taking good care of your oral hygiene, you are not only fixing your short term overall health, but also investing in your future.