When people think about dentistry, and their oral health in general, they typically think a lot about their teeth. The color, condition, and shape of your pearly whites are certainly an indicator of the quality of your dental hygiene, they’re far from the only thing that is important.

The fact is that your gums are just as critical to your oral health, if not more so. Gum disease is unfortunately an incredibly common condition, one that only gets harder to deal with as it proceeds. Here are a few simple things you can do to keep your gums healthy for a long time to come.

Brush in Small Circles

Most people are well aware that they’re supposed to brush their teeth twice a day but might not know the proper technique to do so. For example, you might be the kind of person who moves the toothbrush up and down rapidly to clean your teeth, but this is doing a disservice to your gums.

By brushing in small circles, you can gently scrub the soft tissues in your mouth along with your enamel.

Floss Every Day

You are probably aware that you should be flossing every day if you’re interested in keeping your gums healthy, but many people struggle to pull this off. It might be worth re-emphasizing its importance.

It’s common for plaque to build up between the teeth and along the gumline, and for this plaque to turn into hard tartar deposits. These formations can contribute to gum disease and tooth decay if left unattended. Flossing is the best way to break up these bacterial deposits.

See Your Dentist Biannually

Even if you are incredibly thorough with your dental hygiene, there are just naturally going to be some places in the mouth that you won’t be able to reach on your own. This is why regular professional cleanings are so important—they give your dentist an opportunity to take a look at the quality of your smile, and to remove plaque and tartar deposits from parts of the mouth that you can’t get to.

Put together, this can sound like a lot. But each of these things can easily fit into your schedule and will make a massive difference in the quality of your smile. Just taking a few small steps toward better health can make a huge impact on the quality of your teeth.

About Our Practice

At Moreno & Young Dental, we pride ourselves on being able to offer our patients not only comfort and compassion, but the most advanced dental technology available. This means that the treatment you receive from us will be at a level that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. Whether you’re coming to us for gum disease treatment or just a simple checkup, you can expect all the best that dentistry has to offer. If you have any questions about gum disease, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (360) 676-0642.