Healthy Gums

Having healthy gums is the key to having a healthy mouth that not only looks good but smells good as well. Getting healthy gums is actually quite easy to do. The first step is to understand the factors that affect gum health.

Bacteria Are Gums' Worst Enemy

Probably the most aggressive adversary to gum health is plaque. It is the bacteria in the plaque that is so damaging. Bacteria are gum tissues' worst enemies. When bacteria are allowed to remain in contact with gum tissue, they will infect the tissue. When gums are infected they are red and swollen, and they are prone to bleeding. This is gum disease.

Maintaining healthy gums is about keeping your mouth clean. It is impossible to get rid of all of the bacteria in your mouth. To do so would require you to brush, floss and rinse constantly throughout the day. That, of course, is ridiculous. It is, however, possible to limit the amount of bacteria in your mouth as well as how long they are in your mouth. Brushing frequently and flossing regularly are two ways to do this.

Brushing and flossing removes the plaque that bacteria live in. If this is done regularly and consistently, the bacteria will not have the opportunity to infect the gum tissue. The gums will maintain their shape and color if they are not infected. Plaque can also build up on the tongue, so it is important to clean the tongue as well. A tongue scraper is a great tool to use to clean the tongue. If you do not have a tongue scraper, brushing your tongue with a toothbrush is also an option.