By Dr. Azim Malik Specialist Periodontist and Implant Surgeon

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE GUM DISEASE?

If you have gum disease, the best thing you can do to manage it is make sure the amount of bacteria in your mouth is very low… so your body doesn't get a chance to respond to it.

That’s the main thing you can do.

So home care – interdental cleaning and brushing – has to be at an exceptionally good level.

Then a visit to the hygienist and the dentist on a minimum of a three-monthly basis is essential.

Managing gum disease

Other supplements that may help include anything that lowers the level of inflammation and increases the amount of antioxidants.

So things like berries and turmeric will help.

But supplements won’t make a big change.

They can boost things a little bit.

KEEPING YOUR GUMS AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE

Most of the work will be in the physical cleaning.

In terms of interdental work (cleaning the spaces between the teeth) interdental brushes are the best.

But where you can't get a brush in because it's too tight, you can floss.

So some people find the brushes very difficult to use because they can’t get them in there.

In these cases, I ask them to at least get something in there.

There are some plastic interdental sticks.

They’re pretty good because they get into the nooks and crannies.