Your brush shouldn't travel across the gums. It's important to get just underneath the gum because a lot of food and bacteria get trapped there." You should always brush your tongue, or buy a tongue scraperA tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper or tongue brush) is an oral hygiene device designed to clean the coating on the upper surface of the tongue.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Tongue_cleaner
Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle so you can get the bristles slightly under your gum line. This will help brush out the bacteria and plaque buildup between your teeth and gums. You should be using a soft-bristled toothbrush while brushing as your gums can be sensitive.
Brushing regularly is considered vital for healthy teeth and gums, but dental experts warn that you can overdo it. Known as “toothbrush abrasion,” overbrushing can lead to sensitive teeth and receding gums. Vigorous brushing can wear down the enamel on your teeth and damage your gums, exposing the sensitive root area.
Overbrushing is what happens when you brush your teeth for too long, too hard, and improperly. Many people are guilty of this and, although you may not notice what you are doing, it's important to correct overbrushing before it's too late.
You only need to apply enough pressure to feel the bristles against your teeth. If the bristles appear squashed, then you are brushing too hard. Hurrying through the toothbrushing process can result in mistakes, such as over-brushing.
Many things can cause receding gums, including poor dental hygiene, brushing too hard, and aging. Your gum tissue doesn't regenerate the way other types of tissue does (like the epithelial tissue of your skin, for example). As a result, receding gums don't grow back.
If you brush your teeth too vigorously or use a toothbrush with hard bristles, that could be what's causing gum soreness. Your gums are made of tissue, so when they are irritated over and over, the tissue can become damaged and sore to the touch. Brush gently, using circular motions instead of back-and-forth.
What do Receding Gums Look Like? The way to identify receding gums is by looking at the gum tissue surrounding each individual tooth. If the height of the gum tissue varies or if you see that the gum tissue surrounding the teeth draws back and seems red or worn away, then you are looking at receding gums.
Reasons for receding gums
Periodontal disease: This bacterial gum infection destroys gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth. It is the main cause of gum recession. Genetics: Some people are more susceptible to gum disease, regardless of how well they care for their teeth.
Some home remedies for swollen and sore gums include: Gently flossing and brushing to clean the area. Rinsing mouth with saltwater to get rid of bacteria. Applying warm compresses to reduce gum pain.
The cleaning might cause pain, and sensitivity in the treatment doesn't guarantee reattachment of your gums to the teeth. The cleaning might even cause further gum recession. Pain and sensitivity are familiar side effects after deep cleaning teeth.
Signs and symptoms of gingivitis include: Swollen or puffy gums. Dusky red or dark red gums. Gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss.
Don't rinse with water straight after toothbrushing
After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.
If you have healthy gums, they will look firm and pink. Some signs of unhealthy gums include redness and swelling, gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, and gums that appear to be pulling away from the teeth.
The damage plaque has done to your teeth and gums in the early stages of gum disease can be undone through consistent brushing and flossing twice a day. There are also antibacterial mouthwashes to help get rid of gingivitis-causing bacteria.
A dentist might consider gum graft surgery (GGS) if a person's gums have severely receded. During GGS, a surgeon will take a small piece of gum tissue from elsewhere in the mouth and use it to cover the exposed tooth roots. GGS helps prevent bone loss and the gums from receding further.
Takeaway. When you're looking to protect your tooth enamel, brushing right after you wake up in the morning is better than brushing your teeth after breakfast. If you have to brush your teeth after breakfast, try to wait 30 to 60 minutes before you brush.
However, brushing your teeth between meals isn't necessarily a bad thing. You should refrain from brushing more than three times a day, because brushing too often will wear down the enamel of your teeth. You must brush at least twice, but not more than three times a day.
“You have about a millimeter of gum tissue where your tooth comes outside your gum, you want to kind of get under there, just about a millimeter, maybe 2 or 3 millimeters, right under the gum,” Harms says. “So the bristle needs to be able to bend.” Brushing your teeth, it turns out, means brushing your whole tooth.