Healthy gums are essential to your oral health and overall well-being. During Gum Care Month, we at Health Centered Dentistry emphasize the importance of maintaining gum health through holistic methods. Holistic dentistry takes your whole body’s health into account when recommending oral health habits and treatments. Here are some of our recommendations for improving your gum health in a holistic way.
You can achieve better gum health! Schedule a visit with our holistic dentistry team in Anchorage today!
How Holistic Methods Improve Your Gums and Health
Traditional dentists focus mainly on your teeth and only your teeth. They typically offer gum treatments if you already have diseased gums. What’s more, their treatments often involve harsh chemicals or invasive dental procedures. Unfortunately, they usually don’t give you much guidance on how to take care of your gums now so that you can prevent gum problems in the future.
Holistic dentistry takes a different approach. Since we are concerned about your overall well-being, we provide recommendations that keep you healthy and may help you avoid gum issues altogether. In addition, we choose safe, non-toxic methods and materials to keep your entire body healthier.
Why Gum Health Matters
Good gum health is critical to your physical, emotional, and dental health. First, your gums keep your teeth in your mouth. When you neglect your gum health, your teeth could become loose and wobbly. You could even lose teeth due to gum problems.
Gum health affects your overall health, too. Inflammation or infection in your gums can spread to other parts of your body. If you have loose or missing teeth, it’s very hard to eat a nutritious diet. In fact, poor gum health has been associated with a higher risk of other health problems like heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
Poor gum health can also lead to aesthetic problems like bad breath and an unattractive smile. While we do offer services to restore your smile, prevention is the better option. When your diseased gums cause aesthetic changes, your self-esteem sags. Pain in your gums can make you irritable and hard to be around. That could affect your social, intimate, and work relationships.
Safe and Effective Ways to Prevent Gum Disease
It makes no sense to use unsafe or toxic methods to try to have healthier gums. That’s why we suggest safe natural remedies, dietary precautions, and lifestyle changes. With the holistic approach, you can preserve your gum health, improve your dental health, and preserve your healthy smile.
Natural Remedies for Healthy Gums
You may come across a variety of natural remedies for healthy gums. It’s important to discuss them with your holistic dentist before you start trying them. We see all our dental patients as unique individuals. What might work for one person might not be right for someone else. The following are some of the natural methods we might recommend for you.
- Salt Water: Stir about 1/2 teaspoon of salt into lukewarm water and swish it in your mouth for about 30 seconds. Salt reduces bacteria and helps remove bits of food.
- Lemongrass Oil: Stir about three drops of lemongrass essential oil in 8 ounces of water. Swish this solution in your mouth for about 30 seconds. This method can reduce plaque and gingivitis.
- Pure Aloe Vera Juice: Swish the undiluted juice in your mouth for about 30 seconds. Aloe vera is very healing and can help prevent plaque and gum problems.
- Oil Pulling: Oil pulling involves swishing certain natural oils in your mouth — typically coconut oil — for up to 30 minutes. Ask your holistic dentist before using other types of oil. Oil pulling can reduce plaque and gingivitis.
Dietary Tips to Keep Gums Healthy
It stands to reason that the foods you eat can affect your gums. This effect can come directly from the impact on your gums as you chew. But it can also come indirectly, from your overall nutritional health. Here are some foods that promote gum health.
Choose:
- Foods with Calcium: Examples include dairy products, green, leafy vegetables, fruits, and foods fortified with calcium.
- Foods high in Vitamin D: Be sure to get enough Vitamin D from foods like fatty fish, fortified dairy products, and eggs.
- Foods high in Vitamin C: Add fruits like oranges (not juice) and strawberries, and high Vitamin C vegetables like broccoli.
- Foods with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Eat salmon and other fatty fish, walnuts, eggs, and green, leafy vegetables.
- Foods with Probiotics: Probiotic foods include yogurt and kefir.
- Plenty of Clear Water: Water not only rinses away traces of food but it also keeps you hydrated and reduces inflammation.
Just as you can improve your gum health by eating certain foods, you can also have healthier gums when you avoid other foods.
Avoid:
- High-sugar foods and drinks
- Highly acidic foods and drinks
- Foods that stick to your teeth
- Carbonated beverages
Good dental health requires healthy gums. Eating and avoiding certain foods and drinks can help both your teeth and your gums.
Lifestyle Changes to Enhance Your Gum Health
The holistic position is that better overall health improves your oral health, and better oral health helps you feel better all through your body. Living a healthy lifestyle will make a significant difference in your physical and oral health.
Choose:
- Exercise regularly to achieve or maintain a healthy BMI
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day with natural toothpaste
- Brush with a soft toothbrush and replace the toothbrush every 3 to 6 months
- Floss between your teeth every day
- Get plenty of sleep each night
Avoid:
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Unresolved stress — if your life is very stressful, take steps to reduce or deal with the stress better.
Improving your lifestyle can help you achieve better oral health while it improves your whole body health. Doing so fits perfectly within the holistic approach. We care about your gums and teeth, but we are also committed to helping you improve your general wellness!
Regular Dental Care
Following a healthy diet can be challenging, especially if you have a hectic life. It’s worth the effort because you will feel and function better if you adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle and avoid toxic remedies. However, even if you follow all these recommendations, ongoing dental care may uncover problems you’re not aware of yet.
You might need more extensive holistic dental treatments. Visiting your holistic dentist regularly is the best way to spot signs of trouble before they become advanced and difficult to treat. If we do see gum issues during a regular checkup, we can offer a variety of holistic treatment options and recommend the best ones for you as an individual.
Holistic Gum Care at Health Centered Dentistry
At Health Centered Dentistry in Anchorage, we provide complete holistic dental care. That includes not only common dental care like checkups and fillings but also more extensive dental procedures, gum care, and aesthetic dentistry for a beautiful smile.
Our team of holistic dentists, as well as our entire staff, provide excellent dental care. We pay attention to your overall oral and physical health to provide comprehensive oral health care. While our dentists are extremely qualified to provide dental procedures, everything we do aims to improve your total well-being. With our team guiding and supporting you, you can start improving your gum health today!
Move towards better oral health! Schedule an appointment at Health Centered Dentistry!
