How to maintain healthy gums: cleaning and gum care tips

Reading time: 9 Min

When you think of achieving the ultimate Hollywood smile, you may think of sparkling white teeth. But that’s not all you need. Our gums play an equally important part when it comes to our oral health, aesthetics, and the overall health of our body. Maybe you’re already taking the essential steps to care for your teeth, but do you know what healthy gums look like?

Here we’ll delve into the basics of gum care. We’ll share everything you need to know from the importance of healthy gums to how to strengthen gums naturally. We’ll also talk through key steps for proper and efficient gum care, including:

Regular brushing
Cleaning interdental spaces
Maintaining a healthy diet
Visiting the dentist
Drinking plenty of water
Reducing or quitting smoking

Read on to discover our simple guide to gum cleaning and overall gum care, along with the answers to questions you might have been wondering about. For example, do gums heal?

Why are healthy gums so important?

Before we talk about the ins and outs of gum care, we need to have a brief look at why healthy gums are so important. There are a few key reasons you should pay particular attention to oral health, especially gum cleaning:¹

Our gums surround our teeth. They are the main foundation of our teeth, ensuring each tooth sits firmly in our mouth.
Poor oral care can lead to infections and gum disease. If plaque isn’t removed from your teeth with regular brushing, it can build up and irritate your gums, ultimately causing gum disease.
Improper gum care can pose a direct threat to the teeth. Gum disease can ultimately lead to teeth becoming loose or falling out.
Healthy gums are the prerequisite for healthy teeth and subsequently a healthy body. Lacking oral hygiene can cause gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

While certain medications, stress, smoking and a lack of vitamins are all contributing factors to poor oral health, a lack of gum care not only causes bad oral health, but studies have shown it can cause heart disease, too. ^{9 10}

Oral healthcare and heart disease: the case for healthy gums

In 2023, Philips has partnered with the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation for its ‘Brush for your Heart’ campaign to raise awareness about the connection between oral healthcare and heart health. The campaign emphasizes that individuals who take good care of their mouth are more likely to have healthier hearts than those who neglect their teeth and gums. ^{9 10}

Growing consensus about the link between oral health and heart health

Studies have shown that individuals with periodontitis, or gum disease, are at risk of heart disease and other heart problems. Although further research is being done to understand the connection between oral health and heart health, there is a growing consensus about this link. ¹¹ However, public awareness of this connection remains low, with over 60% of respondents to one of our surveys being unaware of the link between good oral health and heart disease. ¹²

The link between healthy gums and heart health

Poor oral healthcare, such as inadequate brushing of teeth, can lead to a build-up of plaque and harmful bacteria in the mouth, which can cause gum disease. ¹However, it is now believed that these bacteria can also enter the bloodstream and potentially cause problems in other parts of the body, including the heart, stomach, and toes. ¹³

Importance of good gum cleaning

To maintain healthy gums and reduce the risk of heart disease, individuals should prioritize good oral healthcare practices, such as regular brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash. Electric toothbrushes, like those offered by Philips Sonicare, can remove up to 10 times more plaque than manual toothbrushes and are an effective way to stay on top of oral healthcare. Over 70% of consumers believe that Philips Sonicare can help them improve their oral health, and over 75% of consumers said they would switch to an electric toothbrush. ¹²

Top tips for periodontitis treatment and prevention

Individuals can reduce their risk of gum disease and maintain healthy gums by following simple steps, such as brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly, and quitting smoking. Additionally, regular dental check-ups and professional cleaning can help prevent and treat gum disease.

What are the symptoms of poor gum care and unhealthy gums?

Now you know why it is so important to keep up with your gum cleaning and overall gum care, but do you know how to spot unhealthy gums? Any of the following symptoms can indicate that you need to seek help to heal your gums:

Light bleeding of the gums when brushing
Swollen or sensitive gums
Purple discolouration instead of a healthy pink
Bad breath

Do gums heal on their own? Unfortunately, you can’t reverse receding gums which is why prevention is so important. Once gums are damaged, it’s not possible to reverse the damage. However, if you suffer from any of the above symptoms, visit your dentist, who will present you with the best methods to tackle the damage and prevent it from becoming more extensive.

A person is reattaching the detachable brush head of a white electric toothbrush.

Ways to maintain healthy gums: six steps for overall gum care

As we have shown, efficient gum care is a necessity if you want to maintain healthy gums and teeth. Thus, it’s very important that you and your family not only care for your teeth but also maintain your gums. Here are our top tips for effective and appropriate gum care:

Brush your gums as well as your teeth. As simple as it sounds, if you brush your teeth twice a day, you’re creating the best conditions for healthy gums. The important thing is that you use the right toothbrush and the correct brushing technique. If the brush is too hard, you risk injuring the gums and gingivitis can occur.
Take time to clean the interdental spaces once a day. Cleaning the interdental spaces is as important as brushing your teeth, since bacteria that can cause inflammations like to gather here.² Paying attention to these spaces is critical to gum deep cleaning. Make use of dental floss, an interdental brush or the Philips Power Flosser as part of your daily routine.
Maintain a healthy diet. We all know consuming the right food and drinks is good for your overall physical³ and mental health.⁴ However, it’s also great for your oral health. A healthy diet low in sugar, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat milk, is an important step in how to strengthen gums naturally.⁵
Invest in professional teeth cleaning. Thorough cleaning on a daily basis is essential, but visiting your dentist regularly is also key to healthy gums and teeth. Not only can you get a professional clean, but your dentist will also be able to detect gum problems long before you notice them yourself. They can also advise you on matters such as how to heal gum pockets naturally before further complications occur.
Stimulate salivation. Whether you decide to chew a sugar-free gum containing xylitol⁶ or simply increase your water intake, stimulating salivation is key to healthy gums. Our saliva prevents germs and bacteria from settling in our mouths and is indispensable for our oral health, including our gums.⁷
Avoid smoking. Not only is smoking bad for your overall health, but it can also have adverse effects on your teeth and gums.⁸ It weakens your immune system in addition to drying out your mouth. This in turn promotes the development of gum diseases. Quitting smoking will strengthen your gums and help your physical health too.

So, whether you’re wondering how to heal gum pockets naturally or simply want to strengthen gums and protect them from damage, the correct gum care is the way to go. In this guide, we’ve shown you healthy gums are important for both healthy teeth and a healthy body. Now it’s time to make daily and attentive oral hygiene a part of your routine so that you and your family can enjoy a healthy smile together.

Sources:

¹ Gum disease, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gum-disease/

² Bourgeois et al., Quantification of carious pathogens in the interdental microbiota of young caries-free adults, PLOS One 12(10), e0185804. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5634565/

³ Eating a balanced diet, NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-a-balanced-diet/

⁴ Firth et al., Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?, British Medical Journal 2020, 369, m2382. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7322666/

⁵ The best foods for a healthy smile and whole body, University of Illinois College of Dentistry. https://dentistry.uic.edu/news-stories/the-best-foods-for-a-healthy-smile-and-whole-body/

⁶ Söderling and Pienihäkkinen, Effects of xylitol chewing gum and candies on the accumulation of dental plaque: a systematic review, Clinical Oral Investigations 26(1), 119–129. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8791908/

⁷ Vila et al., The power of saliva: antimicrobial and beyond, PLOS Pathogens 15(11), e1008058. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6855406/

⁸The effect that smoking has on your oral health, NHS Queen Victoria Hospital. https://www.qvh.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/The-effect-that-smoking-has-on-your-oral-health-Rvw-Feb-2020.pdf

⁹ Dietrich T, Garcia RI. Associations between periodontal disease and systemic disease: Evaluating the strength of the evidence. J. Periodontol 2005;76:2175-2184

¹⁰ Barnett ML. The oral-systemic disease connection. An update for the practicing dentist. J AM Dent Assoc 2006: 137 (suppl): 5S-6S

¹¹ J Clin Periodontol. 2020;47:268–288

¹²Based on a survey of 500 Swedish consumers between 1-6 January 2023

¹³ Han YW, Wang X. Mobile microbiome: Oral bacteria in extra-oral infections and inflammation. J Dent Res 2013; 92: 485-49