No one wants to go to the dentist. It’s time-consuming, expensive, and often painful.
So, if you’re suffering from gingivitis what can you do if you want to avoid the dentist? You need to be going in for regular checkups, deep cleans, and surgery, right? In this article we’ll talk about how to treat gingivitis at home so you can avoid going to the dentist.
How to treat gingivitis at home
The bottom line when it comes to treating gingivitis is you have to be able to minimize plaque and tartar.
Plaque is what forms on your teeth after eating, and is generally removed through brushing and flossing.
Tartar is a hard substance which forms from the plaque that has built up on your teeth.
If you can control and minimize these two baddies then you can go a long way to treating your gingivitis.
Let’s look at how to treat your gingivitis at home.
1. Use antibacterial toothpaste 3 times a day
If you’re not already, level up to brushing at least three times a day (once after every main meal). You get bonus points for brushing after snacks as well. Increasing to this regularity of brushing will reduce the likelihood plaque and tartar will build up. You will also start to make a dent in the tartar which has already taken hold.
Brushing more regularly than three times a day is good. You can complement this extra brushing with the tools you use and your brushing “form”.
Ensure that your brush is no more than 3 months old. If you really want to get your gingivitis under control, replacing your brush monthly is a solid tactic. The older your brush gets, the more worn it becomes, the less effective it is.
Use an antibacterial toothpaste
Toothpaste which fights against bad bacteria in your mouth is one of your best defenses against plaque, tartar, and gingivitis. Ideally, you should use a toothpaste without gum irritants such as fluoride and SLS/SLES like antibacterial Dental Pro 7.
Using a natural antibacterial removes the bacteria without irritating your gums. Dental Pro 7 provides additional protection between brushes because it remains semi-present on your teeth and gums (even after rinsing).
Check your brushing form
Brush your teeth gently away from your gums. This means you should brush in one of two ways. Either a circular motion or brush down from your top teeth and up from your bottom teeth. Using either of these methods is effective provided you brush gently. At all costs avoid brushing left to right because this will irritate your gums and potentially cause them to recede and increase sensitivity.
Go electric
Consider using an electric toothbrush to improve your brushing form. An electric toothbrush is more expensive, but is a good way of ensuring that you brush in the right way.
Gently does it
When you buy your toothbrush remember that “hard is not better”.
To protect your gums you should choose a soft bristled brush. This is especially important if you experience gum bleeds.
From personal experience going from a hard brush to a soft one is not easy. A hard brush feels like you’re really cleaning your teeth and with a soft brush it suddenly feels like you’re not cleaning anything at all. Rest assured the soft brush is cleaning your teeth and gums, especially if you’re using an antibacterial toothpaste. Importantly, the soft brush is also protecting your gums from unnecessary abrasion and irritation.
2. Floss morning and night
Floss both morning and night.
If you can’t do both morning and night, opt to do it at night. This is because you have the least amount of saliva flow in your mouth at night so the bad bacteria don’t get washed away.
Flossing regularly can you help to:
a) get used to flossing if you’re not already and ;
b) clean those hard to reach areas between your teeth which brushing just can’t reach
Importantly, floss before brushing. That way, when you brush you remove any junk dislodged during flossing that remains on your teeth and gums.
Wind the ends of the floss around your fingers and gently slide the floss between your teeth. Be careful not to push strongly against the gum line to avoid bleeding. Once the floss is in position gently rub up and down against the tooth three or four times.
3. Rinse with antibacterial mouthwash after brushing
So you’ve flossed and you’ve brushed, but how do you make sure that all the nasties are removed? Mouthwash, that’s how!
Using an antibacterial mouthwash is an extra layer of protection you can give your teeth.
It’s very important to use a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol. This is because alcohol will dry out your mouth. When fighting gingivitis, the last thing you want to do is have a dry mouth because that’s when you open yourself up to attack.
Try alcohol-free mouthwashes such as Dental Pro 7 or Crest.
4. Eat less processed food
Eat less food like pizza, frozen meals, bottled salad dressings, and fizzy drinks. Eat more whole food like vegetables, nuts, olive oil, meat, and eggs. Switch out flavored drinks for water. If you must have something fizzy, switch to sparkling water.
Changing your diet in this way reduces your direct and indirect consumption of sugar. A dramatic reduction in your sugar consumption benefits your teeth and gums. For anyone thinking about how to treat gingivitis at home, indirect sugar consumption is an important factor to track.
5. Close your mouth when you sleep
As we’ve already discussed, a dry mouth is not good for your teeth and gums. A dry mouth can increase the likelihood of gingivitis or gum disease, and is a major cause of bad breath.
Try to keep your mouth closed and breath through your nose at night. If you struggle to keep your mouth closed, try propping yourself up on some pillows. It will take some testing, but add and remove pillows until you find a comfortable position.
Summary
You should try to get to your dentist at least once a year for a checkup and clean, but following the above steps will help you treat gingivitis at home.