Be good to your gums
Caring for your gums is just as important as keeping your teeth clean
The foundation of a healthy smile
Who doesn’t love a mouth full of healthy looking white teeth? Well your gums are an integral part of your smile and without them, you wouldn’t have any teeth to smile with! Additionally, if gum health is not maintained, gum disease (gingivitis) can occur. While you may be aware of the bleeding and inflammation this brings, you may not know about its advanced stages and complications. Untreated gum disease can lead to damage of the supporting jaw bone, which can ultimately end in the loss of those lovely white teeth.
Scary stuff, but it’s mostly preventable and within your control. The answer to healthy gums is simply to clean them, but there is a balance to be struck. If you don’t sufficiently clean your teeth and gums, in addition to the aforementioned gingivitis, bacteria can accumulate around the gum line and the resultant plaque can cause your gums to recede. If you clean your teeth and gums too well, you can abrade the enamel and also traumatise the gums, causing them to recede. People also experience gum recession following prolonged use of bristles that are too hard or improper brushing technique.
Our recommendations for gum care
1. Regular brushing
To keep your gums clean and healthy, we recommend twice daily brushing. It's important that you don't brush too vigorously or use too hard a brush, as this can irritate gums and cause them to recede. An edel+white toothbrush with Konex HD® bristles are ideal, as their UltraSoft tapered tips are able to clean more thoroughly and gently than other bristles.
Click here to read more about our toothbrushes.
2. Interdental cleaning
We've already explained how plaque accumulation around the gum line can cause gingivitis and gum recession. For this reason, we suggest daily interdental cleaning with a tool of your choice. Flossing is the most popular option, as it's easy to master – especially with a waxed ribbon-like floss like our Easy Tape.
Many people also opt for an interdental brush, as these have been shown to be more thorough than flossing. edel+white's Interdental Brushes are perfect for both interdental cleaning beginners and veterans.
It is also sensible to keep teeth clean throughout the day to limit your chances of tooth decay (and avoid the always embarrassing food-in-the-teeth scenario!). For this we have Pick Sticks, our 2-in-1 rubber brush and picks, which are ideal for on-the-go interdental cleaning.
Click here to read more about interdental cleaning.
3. Rinsing
Many people overlook a mouthwash, but it's a really quick and easy way to amplify your routine. A burst of freshness, a top-up of fluoride or an antibacterial booster (or all three in the case of our Fresh + Protect) – whatever it is that you look for in a mouthwash, regular rinsing can help you reach any areas that you may have missed during tooth brushing and interdental cleaning.
