08 Oct Getting Rid of Gum Disease

Gum disease, or periodontists, effects about 96% of the UK population. 

This is mainly due to the fact that the person who teaches us how to clean our teeth (not gums, teeth!) is our mum or dad.  Now no offence to our parents but they were taught by their parents and so on, a chain of ignorance unless any of them were dentally trained.

So with this in mind here are my 5 tips to getting better gums at home!

1. Electric Toothbrush – I personally recommend an Oral B electric toothbrush, like the 600, with a normal round head (http://www.oralb.co.uk/products/electric-toothbrush/ProfessionalCare.aspx) As the evidence proves that a rotary, oscillating action is the best for removing dental plaque!  You may not like it, you may feel your manual toothbrush does a ‘better’ job….so do many people and they lose their teeth.  Don’t join them!

1. Brush the Gums! – Plaque collects in the nooks and crannies in-between your teeth and at the gum line.  IF that’s where it gathers then brush that area, push the bristles with modest force into the gums, the bristles need to sweep the area and clean away the plaque.

1. Floss is Borderline Useless– Although i love electric toothbrushes they DO NOT clean everywhere.  Gaps between the teeth, especially the big molar teeth at the back of the mouth, need to be cleaned using either small brushes or interdental wood sticks.  Floss is not only difficult to use but it doesn’t remove all the plaque. We recommend these: http://www.tepe.com/uk/products/interdental-brushes/

1. Infected Gums Bleed– and are sore to clean.  Infections are sore.  Get a skin infection on your arm and it’d be sore to clean BUT you’d still clean it.  Why is it different in the mouth?  IF you clean the gums (and i emphasise THE GUMS!) and it bleeds then this is due to infection.  Keep cleaning and within two weeks the bleeding will be markedly reduced, a sure sign you’re on the right path to gum health.

1. Mouthwashes are Deodrant for The Mouth – except Corsodyl (http://www.corsodyl.co.uk/).  Gum disease causes bad breath.  Masking it with normal mouthwash does not work that well, it’s like aftershave without the shower.  If your gums are sore, or bleed, then use Corsodyl, a great mouthwash to combat gum disease, its only downside is it promotes staining of the teeth.  Use it for 2 weeks as a mouthwash or preferably dip your Tepe Brushes into the mouthwash and deliver it directly to the areas that need it.

Following these tips there is no doubt that you will reduce the amount of gum disease in your mouth within 2-3 months.  Now here’s the sell…..

Sadly plaque calcifies over time, and this hard deposit (like the scale in your kettle) can only be removed by a dental hygienist.  If you don’t have this build up removed you will never be able to clean away all the plaque and the gum disease will progress regardless.

At Spires our aim is to remove the build up in a gentle way and educate our clients how to care for themselves, rather than having to come and see us all the time.

If you need any further advice on how to tackle sore and infected gums, please call us on 01543 411088.