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Ask a Periodontist: Some Important Factors That Affect Your Gums
- By Karl A. Smith, DDS, MS
- Published 12/7/2009
- Wellness, Fitness and Diet
- Unrated
Karl A. Smith, DDS, MS
Dr. Karl Smith has been in dental practice for over twenty-seven years. His specialties are periodontics, dental anesthesia and implants. People come from near and far to experience the comfort and professionalism of his office and patient-oriented staff. http://www.drkarlsmith.com
View all articles by Karl A. Smith, DDS, MS
The gums are not only essential to a pleasing and attractive smile but they also contribute mightily to our dental health which is, of course, a huge component of our overall health and well being. So it is important for each of us to take good care of our gums, and in order to effectively do that we first need to know what kinds of things can affect our gums or influence their health.
The first that comes to mind is naturally oral hygiene, which starts with daily brushing and flossing of the teeth. But the gums play such a huge and significant role in tooth health that we have to also brush and floss to keep the gums in top shape. Daily brushing and flossing, in other words, is not just the best and most important thing you can do for teeth, but it is also the easiest and most fundamental thing you can do to ensure youre your gums are also healthy.
Next on the list is diet, because as the saying goes we are what we eat. If we eat junk food, for example, our body only has junk ingredients to help us build bones, nourish our blood, and vitalize the tissues of the body that include the gums. Eating a good balanced diet of recommended nutrients including daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, the right amount of protein, and foods that deliver the kinds of vitamins and minerals th
e body needs to stay healthy and fend off disease is critical. Your dentist can help you create a dietary plan that addresses tooth and gum health, as can any good general physician or nutritionist.
Then there are those nagging habits that we know are not necessarily good for us. One of the biggest influences on our gums is smoking or using any type of tobacco product. If you are a smoker or you chew tobacco, then you might want to consult your dentist to understand the full ramifications of that behavior or habit on your gum health. While you may have healthy and vibrant oral health now, continued use of harmful and cancer-causing tobacco products is one of the leading causes of gum disease. So avoiding that kind of menace to your oral health is a wise choice. It is one that any doctor or dentist can tell you will pay you back in many positive ways over the course of your lifetime.
Then again, unless you are a dentist, there are only a limited number of things you can do to take care of your gums at home and even if you are a dentist you still need to go and visit your own dentist from time to time. So follow a careful plan of oral hygiene, eat a good healthy balanced diet, and avoid behaviors that might contribute to poor health and gum disease and you can rest assured that you will have healthier gums and a more confident smile. Take care of your gums and they will, in turn, take care of you.
The first that comes to mind is naturally oral hygiene, which starts with daily brushing and flossing of the teeth. But the gums play such a huge and significant role in tooth health that we have to also brush and floss to keep the gums in top shape. Daily brushing and flossing, in other words, is not just the best and most important thing you can do for teeth, but it is also the easiest and most fundamental thing you can do to ensure youre your gums are also healthy.
Next on the list is diet, because as the saying goes we are what we eat. If we eat junk food, for example, our body only has junk ingredients to help us build bones, nourish our blood, and vitalize the tissues of the body that include the gums. Eating a good balanced diet of recommended nutrients including daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, the right amount of protein, and foods that deliver the kinds of vitamins and minerals th
Then there are those nagging habits that we know are not necessarily good for us. One of the biggest influences on our gums is smoking or using any type of tobacco product. If you are a smoker or you chew tobacco, then you might want to consult your dentist to understand the full ramifications of that behavior or habit on your gum health. While you may have healthy and vibrant oral health now, continued use of harmful and cancer-causing tobacco products is one of the leading causes of gum disease. So avoiding that kind of menace to your oral health is a wise choice. It is one that any doctor or dentist can tell you will pay you back in many positive ways over the course of your lifetime.
Then again, unless you are a dentist, there are only a limited number of things you can do to take care of your gums at home and even if you are a dentist you still need to go and visit your own dentist from time to time. So follow a careful plan of oral hygiene, eat a good healthy balanced diet, and avoid behaviors that might contribute to poor health and gum disease and you can rest assured that you will have healthier gums and a more confident smile. Take care of your gums and they will, in turn, take care of you.