13 Mar Natural Remedies to Prevent Gum Recession & Tooth Decay
The best medicine truly is prevention. As leaders in integrative holistic medicine in northern Arizona, our priority at Prescott Dentistry is to help you keep your gums and teeth healthy using the most minimally invasive therapies. In this article, we will look at some tips on how to prevent gum recession and tooth decay naturally.
Causes of Gum Recession and Tooth Decay
Both tooth decay and gum recession are essentially caused by unhealthy bacteria that attacks your teeth and gums. All of us have good and bad bacteria in our mouths and there is a constant battle waging between them. The unhealthy bacteria in our mouths feeds on sugar and uses it to produce acids that eat away at our gums and teeth. This is what causes gum recession and tooth decay. Our body uses minerals in our saliva like calcium, magnesium, and phosphate to repair the damage from excess acid. The great news is that there are natural options available to help your body prevent tooth decay and gum recession.
How to Prevent Tooth Decay
At our office, we have several natural options for increasing the amounts of minerals in your mouth to help remove the excess acid that causes tooth decay.
- Mineral cremes: We have a special mineral creme that envelopes your teeth in a protective film that releases minerals into the enamel.
- Tooth powder: An alternative to fluoride toothpaste, that neutralizes the acidity in your mouth and provides minerals to strengthen your enamel.
- Mineral mouth rinse: There are mouth rinses that provide bioavailable minerals in high concentrations to naturally strengthen enamel.
How to Prevent Gum Recession
Preventing gum recession goes hand in hand with preventing tooth decay. The goal is to neutralize the acids in your mouth. We offer Ozone therapy at our office. Ozone is a powerful oxidizer of bacteria that promotes healing in your teeth and gums.
At-Home Treatments
Additionally, there are natural options that you can try at home too. We recommend the following holistic treatments for preventing tooth decay and gum recession:
1. Dental Probiotics
Probiotics restore balance in your mouth by increasing the good bacteria which helps to reduce the harmful bacteria that cause decay and inflammation.
2. Xylitol
Is a natural sugar substitute. It is a powerful way to kill bad bacteria and reduce plaque. It is found in natural candies, gums, and some toothpastes. Just be sure to keep it out of reach of your pets, as it is toxic to dogs.
3. Himalayan Salt Mouth Rinse
Himalayan salt contains trace minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium which makes it a great choice for a salt rinse. Gargling salt water helps to reduce the harmful bacteria in your mouth.
To make a saltwater rinse:
- Mix a quarter teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water.
- Take a sip and swish the solution, or gargle with it, before spitting it out.
- Repeat this as often as necessary.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide for Gums
Hydrogen peroxide may be hard to come by these days, but if you can find some, it is a powerful way to help kill bacteria in your mouth by releasing oxygen.
To gargle with hydrogen peroxide:
- Use a 3 percent concentration of hydrogen peroxide (never anything stronger).
- Mix two parts of water with one part hydrogen peroxide.
- Tilt your head back and gargle for 30 seconds.
- Avoid inhaling the hydrogen peroxide and be careful not to get it in your eyes.
When to Call Us
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms give us a call right away. Do not wait and try to treat these symptoms at home:
- Persistent pain
- Severe pain
- Swelling
- Bleeding lasting more than a day or two
- Fever
At Prescott Dentistry, we believe prevention is always the best way to keep your mouth healthy. If you would like to try some of the options our office offers, or if you have questions about the at-home treatments give us a call to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you maintain your beautiful smile!
Image used under Adobe free stock standard license – commercial use (2/18/2021) WavebreakMediaMicro (Adobe)