How to Keep Your Gums Healthy
Not only is it important to keep your teeth healthy by brushing and flossing regularly and properly, but it’s also very important to give your gums the tender loving care they need to stay healthy. Sometimes brushing and flossing isn’t enough, and you have to go above and beyond what you have done for years to keep your gums healthy, especially if you’ve been experiencing some problems like tender or bleeding gums. 3 Tips to Follow for Healthy Gums If you are looking for a dentist in Denver due to painful, bleeding gums, you’ve come to the right place. Ascent Dental Group has a superb team of dental professionals with experience in cosmetic and general dentistry. Please read on to learn some tips about how to keep your gums (and teeth) healthy between visits to your dentist. Use a toothbrush with soft, round bristles, so your gums are not hurt while brushing. Also, criss-crossed bristles are recommended because they help get to the hard-to-reach places around your gums and teeth, and the criss-crossed bristles remove plaque in between the teeth. Don’t smoke or, if you do smoke, quit as soon as possible because smoking wreaks havoc on your gums. Smokers are more prone than non-smokers to have calculus, which is the hardened plaque on your teeth that can only be removed during a professional cleaning. If the calculus is not removed and stays below your gum line, the bacteria in the calculus can destroy your gum tissue and cause your gums to pull away from your teeth (known as “receding gums”). When your gums pull away from the teeth (recede), periodontal pockets form and fill with disease-causing bacteria that can make you very ill. Destroy bacteria nests; a bacteria nest is a hotspot where bacteria live (your gum line, for example). If you don’t destroy bacteria nests, they will turn into plaque and then into calculus, which is difficult to remove and can only be done during a professional cleaning. To break up bacteria nests, angle your toothbrush at 45 degrees against the area of attack and make very quick motions to help break up the nests. Repeat this technique a few times until your gum line feels clean and not sticky to the touch. You can learn everything you need to know about oral health at Ascent Dental Group in Cherry Creek. If you’re looking for a dentist in Denver, please contact our office today and we’ll get you in as quickly as we can.
Foods That Promote Good Oral Health
Taking good care of your oral health is just as important as taking care of your general and emotional health. Even if you dread going to the dentist, there are steps you can take right in your very own home and on your own time to help keep your teeth, gums and mouth in good condition. Staying away from food and drinks that contain a lot of sugar (and other ingredients that can hinder your oral health) and eating more foods that promote good oral health is one way to take care of your mouth, and regular visits to your dentist in Denver combined with a healthy diet will do wonders for your oral health. Let’s take a look at some foods that promote good oral health (and some even taste good, too!). What Foods are Good for Your Teeth and Gums? Kiwi contains more Vitamin C than any other fruit, and without Vitamin C, the collagen in your gums breaks down, your gums may become tender and more susceptible to the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. By eating just a few bites of Kiwi fruit, you give your mouth the boost of Vitamin C it needs to stay healthy. Cheese, which is high in phosphate and calcium, balances the pH in the mouth, killing bacteria and preserving tooth enamel, which helps prevents cavities and gum disease. Celery is a water-filled vegetable; chewing celery produces saliva and neutralizes the bacteria that cause cavities. Because it’s naturally abrasive, celery massages the gums and cleans between your teeth, so you get multiple oral health benefits with this delicious veggie. Onions have strong sulfur compounds, which make them excellent for oral health; to get the maximum benefit from onions, it’s best to eat them uncooked. You may want to reserve this oral health promoter for a time you’re not going to be in the close company of someone else due to its strong odor. Get your two scoops of raisins because these tasty treats contain phytochemicals like oleanolic acid that fight off the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. If you’re looking for a caring, patient and knowledgeable dentist in Denver or a surrounding community, please contact Ascent Dental Group. Our office is located in Cherry Creek, but our patients come from many different communities in and around that area. If you have been thinking about finding a dentist in Denver or switching to a new dentist, look no further than Ascent Dental Group in Cherry Creek, Denver.