Home Care for Your Gums

Brushing Technique That Protects Your Gums

• Brush morning and night, two minutes each time, using fluoride toothpaste. The night-time brush counts most, since your mouth produces far less saliva while you sleep
• Tilt the bristles to roughly 45 degrees, pointing at the gum, so they sweep into the shallow groove where gum and tooth meet
• Work with short, gentle strokes over two or three teeth at a time instead of sawing back and forth
• Follow the same route round your mouth each time, outer, inner and chewing surfaces, so no area is skipped
• Go lightly. Pressing harder removes no extra plaque and, over the years, wears away gum and exposed root
• Swap to a fresh brush or head every three months, sooner if the bristles start to splay

The fronts of the upper teeth usually get plenty of attention. The areas people miss are the inner faces of the bottom front teeth and the gum margins of the back molars, and those are exactly where tartar forms first.

Electric or Manual Brush?

Both can do the job well, as long as each surface and the whole gum margin get cleaned over two full minutes. A decent electric brush makes that easier for most people, because the head supplies the movement and all you have to do is guide it slowly along the gums. Many models also have a two-minute timer and a sensor that warns you when you press too hard. If you prefer a manual brush, go for a small head and soft or medium bristles; stiff bristles remove no extra plaque and simply wear the gums.

Cleaning Between Your Teeth

A toothbrush handles the surfaces you can see. The plaque that drives most gum disease, though, sits in the spaces between teeth and under the gum in those spaces, and bristles can't get there. For most adults, interdental brushes are the most effective tool. Pick a size that fills each gap snugly without having to be forced; most people need two or three sizes, narrow for the front teeth and wider towards the back. Ease the brush in, move it in and out a few times, rinse it and move on. Once a day is plenty, and before your evening brush is ideal.

Where teeth touch so closely that no brush will pass, floss is the answer. Hug each tooth with it in a C-curve and ease it a little way under the gum. A water flosser earns its place around implants, bridges and braces, though it's an addition to brushes or floss, not a replacement. At a hygiene appointment, we size your gaps and show you which brush belongs where.

Bleeding Gums: Keep Cleaning or Stop?

Keep going. Gums in good health don't bleed, so bleeding means the gum is inflamed by plaque left along its edge; it isn't usually a sign of brushing too hard. The natural reaction is to avoid the tender spot, which leaves more plaque there and makes the bleeding worse. Carry on cleaning thoroughly but gently, between the teeth as well, and in around two weeks the gums should tighten and stop bleeding. Should the bleeding persist or be heavy, book in with Stefanie, who can look for gum disease and clear away the tartar that's sustaining the inflammation.

Toothpaste, Mouthwash and Why You Shouldn't Rinse

Any fluoride toothpaste covers the essential job of protecting teeth from decay. Once you've brushed, spit out what's left but don't rinse with water, which would wash the fluoride off before it has a chance to work. For the same reason, if you use a mouthwash, choose a separate time of day, after lunch for example. Rinses don't replace brushing or interdental cleaning, and the strong antibacterial kind is best used only for short courses when we suggest it, because using them for months can leave brown stains on the teeth. If your gums are sensitive or decay keeps coming back, ask us which toothpaste would suit you best.

Other Things That Help Your Gums

• Stop smoking. It constricts the blood supply to the gums, masking the bleeding that would normally alert you to gum disease, and it speeds the disease up while slowing healing
• Keep diabetes under control. Each condition makes the other harder to manage, so let us know if you have diabetes
• Reduce how often you have sugar, not only the amount. Each sugary snack or drink gives plaque bacteria another meal
• Let us know if you're pregnant. Hormonal changes can make gums puffy and quick to bleed, so careful cleaning becomes even more important
• Tell us about new medication, as certain drugs make the gums overgrow or the mouth dry
• Stick to your hygiene appointments, at whatever interval we've agreed, usually between three and six months, so tartar never gets the chance to do damage

Gum Care Around Implants, Aligners and Bonding

Gums around implants need even more care than those around natural teeth, because the bone supporting an implant is less able to fight off infection. Clean carefully round the crown, pass interdental brushes through the gaps either side of it and beneath any bridge, and keep up professional cleans. Aligners hold plaque against your teeth if they go in over unbrushed teeth, so brush before every aligner goes back in. Bonding and veneers need the same attention as the teeth beneath them, since the margin at the gum is where stain and plaque collect first. Stefanie Goodall, our hygienist, has been treating gums since qualifying in 2011 and focuses on non-surgical gum therapy, so she can tailor your routine to whatever dental work you have.

When to Book an Appointment

Come and see us if your gums keep bleeding beyond two weeks of good cleaning, look red or puffy, or have receded so your teeth look longer, if bad breath won't go, or if a tooth has started to wobble or move. Hygiene is direct access here, so you can book with Stefanie without waiting for a dental examination. A Classic Smile Clean is £99 and a Diamond Smile Clean with Airflow is £134,² and hygiene visits are part of our dental plans. If your gums are tender, we can numb them before we start. The practice is a short walk from North Greenwich station.

Questions

This guide explains the options in general terms. Only an examination can tell you which of them suits your own teeth.