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Healthy gums healthy teeth
Brushing and flossing regularly is enough to give you confidence you’ll have your own teeth for life and chances are you will if you are equally attentive to your gums.
Gum disease is one cause of adults losing teeth. If plaque builds up and is left to harden into tartar, it can form sites of infection, characterized by puffy, bleeding gums. This early stage gum disease is called gingivitis. If ignored, it may progress into advanced gum disease. If there is not be enough healthy gum tissue and bone to hold teeth in place, they may become loose and fall out.
The best way to deal with gum disease is to prevent it. This requires care in how you clean and floss, and in the frequency. Basic pointers: brush thoroughly for at least two minutes (average time is only 35 seconds) at least twice daily; use short strokes and be gentle, especially along the gum line; choose a soft-bristled toothbrush the right size and shape to reach each tooth; change your toothbrush at least every three months; and floss daily, otherwise you leave 35 per cent of every tooth uncleaned.
If gum disease starts it can be treated, even reversed, in its early stages. That’s why a healthy diet, a meticulous oral routine and regular dental check-ups are so important.