Gum disease is a serious condition caused by bacteria in the mouth. It is essentially an infection that can cause your gums to recede and may even result in tooth loss. As your dentist in Foley, AL, it’s our job to help you protect your teeth from gum disease. There are many things you can do to avoid this uncomfortable and unpleasant condition.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene at Home

Maintaining good oral hygiene is the first step to protecting yourself from gum disease. There are many things that go into a good oral hygiene routine. For example:

• Brush your teeth twice daily. Your teeth need to be brushed twice each day, once in the morning and once at night. Have your dentist show you how to brush your teeth properly if you haven’t been given a tutorial recently.
• Floss once daily. Flossing helps eliminate the bacteria and food particles that can eventually form plaque and tartar, and ultimately helps control gum disease.
• Use an electric toothbrush. Using an electric toothbrush can help get your teeth extra clean. Electric toothbrushes have features that ordinary toothbrushes don’t have – like a timer that tells you when you’ve been brushing your teeth for two minutes.

See the Dentist Twice A Year

Seeing the dentist twice annually is important. During your twice-per-year checkups, you’ll get a dental cleaning that will leave your tooth enamel smooth and free of plaque and tartar. In addition, your dentist will take the time during your tooth cleaning to look for symptoms of gum disease. If your dentist sees that you have symptoms, they’ll recommend treatments that will help you take better care of your teeth.

Watch for Symptoms

Know the symptoms of gum disease so you can get treatment when it’s needed. Symptoms include:

• Swollen, red, puffy gums
• Gums that bleed when they’re brushed
• Receding gums
• Breath that smells even when you’ve brushed your teeth
• Discomfort in your gums

Talk to Your Dentist About Prevention

You can keep gum disease at bay with preventative dental care in Foley, AL. To get treatment when it’s needed, call Sand Dollar Dental to make an appointment for preventative dental care. We can help.