Gum Disease-Home Treatment

Gum Disease - Home Treatment

If your gums are mildly swollen and red, flossing every day and brushing your teeth in the morning and before bedtime can help reverse these symptoms of gum disease. For more information on how to care for your teeth, see:

Dental Care: Brushing and Flossing Your Teeth.

The following steps can also help to reverse or prevent gum disease:

Use a tartar-control toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Use an antiseptic mouthwash, such as Listerine, or an antiplaque mouthwash.
Chew sugar-free gum after meals if you are unable to brush your teeth.
Carefully use a toothpick after meals if you are unable to brush your teeth right away.

If you smoke or use spit tobacco, the best thing you can do for yourself is to quit. Tobacco decreases your ability to fight infection and delays healing. Tobacco users are more likely than nonsmokers to have serious gum disease that leads to tooth loss and that doesn't respond as well to treatment.⁵ Quitting is difficult. But many people find success through a combination of medicine, a stop-smoking program, and counseling. For more information on how to quit, see the topic Quitting Smoking.

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Only 18.5% of Americans never floss. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it turns to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Try flossing just one tooth to get started.

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for 3 more days!

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily, but you're well on your way to making a positive impact on your teeth and gums. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for all 7 days!

Only 50.5% of Americans floss daily, and good for you that you are one of them! Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Congratulations on your good oral health habit!

SOURCES:

American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010

Today in Oral Care