Heart Health: Don't Neglect Dental Care

Most people understand the need to take care of their teeth. They brush, floss, and whiten so that they can display a dazzling smile for all to see. While this usually means a step in the right direction, few realize the need to keep their gums as healthy as their teeth. Gums are living tissue and without healthy gums, your pearly whites are at risk. For some tips on ensuring gum health, read on.

Understanding Gum Disease

When you hear the term "gum disease", you might not immediately associate it with you and your mouth. Just as fit and healthy people seldom think about heart disease, people who have an attractive smile never consider that they can be afflicted by gum disease. Gum disease can be sneaky and its ravages can ruin your smile. When gum disease occurs, it's really about infection. Gums can be infected in a number of ways. Any time there is an opportunity, bacteria will enter the gums. Often, this is through a crack in a tooth, a cavity, a space between the tooth and gum, or a tooth filling that has disintegrated.

The Symptoms of Gum Disease

Gum disease is sneaky because it may not cause the sufferer any pain. Pain is a warning sign of problems, but gum disease could be present and damaging your teeth without you knowing about it. To get on top of any problems before they cause permanent damage, like the loss of teeth and the loss of bone in your jaw, look for the following red flags:

1. Gums that are swollen and irritated.
2. Gums that bleed when flossing or brushing.
3. Teeth that feel loose to the touch.
4. Gums that pull away from the teeth, leaving a space.

How to Take Care of Your Gums

You might be surprised at how easy it is to care for your gums and prevent gum diseases. A few extra minutes a day could make all the difference when it comes to good oral health. You are already brushing and flossing, so take care of your gums by taking the following actions:

• First, make regular visits to your dentist to uncover hidden gum problems before they progress.
• When you brush, be sure you are brushing every surface. That means using gentle back-and-forth motions on not just the fronts, but the backs of teeth. Brush both the tops and bottoms of molars.
• Gently brush towards the gum line.
• Finish up by brushing your tongue.

For more information, contact companies like The Centre for Contemporary Dental Concepts.