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At OC Advanced Periodontics, Dr. Huston and Dr. Bergman and our team want you to know how important oral care is for your gum health. Because your gums do the work of supporting your pearly whites, you will want to keep them in tip-top shape!

Today we would like to share a few tips with you for your gum health:

–Limit your consumption of sugar and sugary drinks, and increase your intake of vegetables. When you do eat sugar, rinse well with water afterwards and brush your teeth to limit the exposure to teeth.

–Certain medications, such as blood thinners, can cause bleeding of the gums or interfere with saliva flow by causing dry mouth, a condition which allows oral bacteria to thrive. Your doctor may be able to switch medications or alter the dosage to help you.

–If you smoke, the toxins can actually interfere with your gum’s ability to receive nutrients and can cause inflammation. As the gums bleed, harmful bacteria which live along the gumline can enter the bloodstream via the ulcers in the gums and travel to your organs to cause inflammation.

–Bleeding gums are actually contagious by spreading harmful amounts of bacteria. If you or your partner has a lot of oral bacteria, avoid sharing drinks, keep your toothbrushes from touching, and be aware that kissing will spread the bacteria and make you more susceptible to bleeding gums.

–It is so important to brush your teeth at least twice daily. Using an electric toothbrush can massage the gums which increases nutrient absorption into the gums by stimulating blood flow.

–Floss at least once each day to remove dental plaque, a biofilm made of bacteria and waste products. If you have difficulty flossing, a water flosser may be a good investment to remove bacteria between the teeth.

–Keep up with routine maintenance by having professional dental cleanings to remove tartar (hardened plaque). Dr. Huston and Dr. Bergman may recommend more frequent dental cleanings, antibiotic treatment, scaling and root planing (deep cleanings), or gum surgery to help alleviate bleeding gums.

At OC Advanced Periodontics, we can diagnose and treat gum disease before it becomes a serious problem. For more information, or to schedule a visit, please call OC Advanced Periodontics in N. Hollywood, California, at 714-795-3117 today. We are happy to help you achieve your best oral health yet!