How to Keep Gingivitis and Cavities Away From Your Smile

Removing oral bacteria and dental plaque from teeth and gums daily is crucial to your oral health. To do this, flossing is as important as brushing, because floss is able to reach the crevices between the teeth and around the gumline that brushing alone can’t. As plaque and bacteria linger, they allow cavities and gingivitis to infiltrate your smile.

According to Clinical Microbiology Reviews, plaque in the mouth houses more than 1,000 bacteria that can harm your gums as they become inflamed, swollen, and begin to bleed.

Unfortunately, these conditions encourage bacteria to flourish so that you end up with gingivitis. Without intervention, untreated gingivitis leads to periodontal disease. Once periodontal disease sets in, harmful bacteria enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas of the body, where it can harm the heart and lungs.

In addition to gingivitis, cavities also arise when dental plaque isn’t removed every day. As plaque attacks the tooth enamel between the teeth, it breaks it down and allowing cavities to form.

While we recommend brushing 2-3 times a day, flossing once a day is sufficient, especially if you floss at bedtime to remove any food particles and plaque lingering along the gumline and between your pearly whites. Cleaning your smile like this will benefit your oral health, your smile, as well as your overall health.

To floss, simply find a method you enjoy using and do it! The most common flossing method of choice is still dental wax or floss. You want to clear away all oral debris such as food particles and dental plaque from between the teeth and gently around the gumline. IF floss doesn’t appeal to you, you can use water flosser, dental flosser, interdental brush or even a toothpick.

To learn more, or to schedule an appointment with our dentist, we invite you to call Dental Arts Of Drexel Hill at 610-449-1513 today. Dr. Justin J Deutsch and our team in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, are here to support your oral health any way we can.