What Is The Best Toothpaste For Gum Disease? The Products You Should Try

The ClearChoice Network has had more than 200,000 Americans trust ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, many of whom were dealing with gum disease. We’re proud that ClearChoice prosthodontists have helped thousands put an end to their dental issues, and we are committed to helping all patients feel confident about carrying on with their dental health after their dental implant procedure, especially those dealing with gum disease.

Gum disease occurs when plaque builds up on and between your teeth, especially around the gum line. Plaque buildup causes your gums to become inflamed, red, and bleed. These symptoms are the early signs of gingivitis – the leading cause of gum disease. In this article, we will dive into what the best mouthwash and toothpaste are for gum disease to ensure oral hygiene and comfort.

The Best Toothbrushes for Gum Disease

Since gum disease can leave your mouth feeling sensitive or sore, use a toothbrush with soft bristles. It’s also important to replace your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles become frayed. This will help support that the harmful bacteria and germs which cause gum disease aren’t being kept around on old and frayed bristles.

The Best Toothpaste for Gum Disease

When choosing the best toothpaste for gum disease, there are specific ingredients to look for, one of which is stannous fluoride. Stannous fluoride is a chemical compound that fights gingivitis by removing plaque and killing the bacteria that grow from it. Continuing to brush with toothpaste containing stannous fluoride will also help prevent plaque buildup in the future.

The mineral hydroxyapatite and vitamin C, are also helpful ingredients to consider when choosing the best toothpaste for gum disease because both have excellent reparative qualities. Hydroxyapatite is a mineral naturally found in bone and tooth enamel, and vitamin C is a nutrient found in many fruits and vegetables. When added to toothpaste, hydroxyapatite can help strengthen and remineralize the enamel of your teeth. As the hydroxyapatite rebuilds the tooth enamel, teeth are left better protected against the plaque that causes gingivitis and gum disease. Vitamin C keeps the connective tissues in your gums healthy and strong, and when you brush your teeth with a toothpaste enriched with vitamin C, you’re delivering those benefits straight to the gums, where the nutrients will be absorbed directly, helping your gums to heal faster.

When dealing with gum disease, your gums can become sore, inflamed, and even bleed. So the best toothpaste for gum disease will also take soothing sore gums into consideration. Glycine and hyaluronic acid are excellent toothpaste ingredients for restoring gums, soothing inflammation, and reducing swelling as they heal gum tissue. Also, they both contain antibacterial properties that fight against active gingivitis and prevent future buildup. These ingredients, in particular, are a great way to bring comfort to sore gums while simultaneously treating gingivitis.

The Best Mouthwash for Gum Disease

Mouthwash keeps your teeth and gums clean and is also an effective way to fight gingivitis, making it an important and effective tool in treating gum disease. If you have gum disease or early symptoms of gingivitis, there are definitely a few key factors to consider when choosing the best mouthwash for gum disease and prevention.

The first thing to keep in mind is that while alcohol is a common ingredient in many types of mouthwashes, and can be effective for general consumers, mouthwashes containing alcohol are not the best mouthwash for gum disease and should be avoided. Alcohol is harsh on sore gums and likely will end up aggravating your gum disease symptoms rather than healing them. So the first important detail to pay attention to when deciding on the best mouthwash for gum disease care is to choose a mouthwash that is alcohol-free.

Look for mouthwash labeled “antibacterial.” Gum disease is caused by the harmful bacteria found in plaque, tartar, and gingivitis, and it is for this reason that certain antibacterial ingredients are found in the best mouthwashes for gum disease. One such ingredient is stannous fluoride. We discussed earlier the importance of stannous fluoride in toothpastes for gum disease, but this ingredient is also an equally important component to look for when choosing the best mouthwash for gum disease as well due to its ability to kill bacteria and reduce gingivitis. Cetylpyridinium Chloride is another effective chemical compound that kills and prevents the future growth of bacteria. Hydrogen Peroxide and Zinc are also proven effective in killing the bacteria which cause gum disease and will also reduce active plaque and gingivitis, preventing gum disease from progressing.

The Best Practices When Caring for Gum Disease

Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash daily is essential when caring for oral health and gum disease. Using a toothpaste that fights plaque, gingivitis, and prevents gum disease, gently brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, holding your brush at a 45-degree angle, brushing in a circular motion along the gum line, as well as all tooth surfaces and your tongue. To remove the harmful plaque that leads to gum disease, you must floss once a day. Guide the floss gently up and down the side of each tooth and along the gumline. Also, use an antibacterial, alcohol-free mouthwash twice daily.

Making healthy lifestyle choices will also help in caring for and preventing gum disease. Schedule regular dental exams and cleanings with your dentist at least every six months. Also, tobacco may increase your risk of developing gingivitis, damages gums, and causes inflammation, so quitting tobacco is a great way to prevent gum disease from worsening. Another healthy lifestyle choice that will help prevent gum disease is sticking to a healthy diet that is low in sugar and regularly includes fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.

Following the recommendations above, you can be confident in the tools you’re using at home to care for your oral hygiene while keeping gum disease in mind. How you put these tools to use, as well as making healthy choices, will be equally important factors in the long-term success of your oral health.