You take care of your overall oral wellness, but is there more you can do? A healthy mouth is not only about your teeth; your gums are just as important. The following guide will teach you a few early signs of gum disease and show you how you can prevent it from happening at all. 

Tips To Prevent Gum Disease

Gum disease is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria around your gums. Bacteria latch on to your teeth, and given enough time, this will lead to plaque. Plaque is just the first step toward gum disease. The bacteria will multiply, especially if you feed them carbohydrates or processed sugars, which they thrive on. You can prevent that from happening by sticking to the following tips:

• Avoid processed sugars or foods filled with carbohydrates
• You should limit your intake of sticky foods or candy, like caramels or raisins. These types of foods can get stuck in your teeth and easily lead to plaque. 
• Do your best to stay away from cigarettes, which hurt your saliva production. And saliva contains several enzymes that help get rid of oral pathogens.

Make Sure Your Gums Are Strong

You should do your best to make sure you are protecting your gums. You can always brush your teeth, floss, use a mouth rinse, and visit your dentist. But there are other things that you can do like the following:

Eat foods or drink liquids with a positive pH value to rebalance the pH balance in your mouth. Harmful bacteria need an acidic environment to live in, and rebalancing the pH makes your mouth uninhabitable to most oral pathogens, including the type that causes gingivitis or gum disease. Considering the following:

• Alkaline water
• Brussel sprouts
• Coconut water
• Celery

Be sure to include foods that have Vitamin C. Vitamin C is of the utmost importance for your body, as it helps create collagen. Collagen is what makes up most of your gum tissue. Eating enough Vitamin C ensures that your gums are ready to fend off bacterial attacks. Try to include the following in your diet:

• Bell peppers
• Berries
• Peas
• Tomatoes

Signs That It May Be Too Late

The following are a few early gum disease-related signs that you need to share with your dentist as soon as possible:

• Constant bad breath
• Swollen or reddish gums
• Tender areas of your gums or some bleeding
• Loose feeling teeth, or pain when eating
• Receding gums

Talk to a dentist like Simmons Craig A D D S as soon as you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms to catch gum disease before it causes major damage. But as you can see, you can be free of gum disease as long as you pay attention to your gum health.