Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of tooth loss and more than 1 in 2 women will develop gum problems during pregnancy due to the hormones. I remember having bleeding gums during pregnancy every time I brushed my teeth. Thankfully no damage was done to my teeth.
It is really important that we take care of both our gums and our teeth to ensure that we don't lose confidence in our smiles.
We were sent some Oral-B Pro-Expert Premium Gum Protection Toothpaste to try, so we can take part in the #ORALBLoveYourGumsChallenge. It claims to reduce and prevent gum problems and address the causes of gum disease in just four weeks. We have been using it instead of our usual brand.
The flavour is mildly minty with a slightly medicated taste. It has quite a dense texture, but creates a nice cleansing foam in the mouth. It really does make my teeth feel clean and fresh and knowing that it is protecting my gums is a real bonus.
My Top Tips for Healthy Teeth and Gums
Download an app to encourage the kids to brush their teeth. The Aquafresh app features a 2 minute timer alongside games to make dental hygiene fun.
Let little ones pick out their own age appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste from the shops to give them ownership of cleaning their teeth.
Use a good toothpaste like Oral B Pro-Expert and a good mouthwash. Make sure your toothbrush is in good condition. Chewing gum after meals can also help keep teeth and gums clean.
Floss picks are much easier to manage than using a long length of stringy floss. I was always getting little strings of floss stuck between my teeth, which I then had to try to remove with tweezers! It totally defeated the object of flossing. With the floss picks I've not had any problems. I am going to look into the water flossers which sound slightly scary but are meant to be very effective at cleaning between the teeth.
Avoid damaging gums by using a soft bristled toothbrush. I've got some receded gums due to over zealous brushing in my teens. They are very sensitive but smearing sensitive toothpaste on the exposed part of my tooth relieves the pain!
Tongue health is very important. I always brush my tongue to remove bacteria when cleaning my teeth. Some brushes have the special tongue-cleaning surface on the back, but I just use my brush as part of cleaning my teeth.
Drinking water is good for so many reasons including dental health.
In the past I've encouraged my reluctant teen to brush his teeth by reminding him that if he didn't look after his teeth he'd end up like his great grandma with false teeth! Now my son is 25 and responsible for his own dentist bills, his dental hygiene has improved! Funny that!!
Thankfully I have no fillings but I do have overcrowded teeth. My dentist tries to persuade me to get a brace fitted but at 44 I think I've lived with my wonky canines long enough, and couldn't justify the expense. I would rather just make sure that my kids regularly visit the dentist and address any dental issues they have. Thankfully, they seem to have inherited what my husband calls my 'granite enamel' so hopefully that will stand them in good stead! Encouraging children to have a good dental regime and helping them to keep their teeth clean and healthy, goes a really long way in making them look and feel their best and gives them confidence in their smiles.
“This post is an entry for BritMums’ #ORALBLoveYourGums Challenge sponsored by Oral-B, promoting healthy gums – something especially important for pregnant women. Get tips and advice on www.oralb-loveyourgums.com.”