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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can take steps at home to help reduce or control gingivitis, such as:
- Get regular professional dental cleanings, on a schedule recommended by your dentist.
- Use a soft toothbrush and replace it at least every three to four months.
- Consider using an electric toothbrush, which may be more effective at removing plaque and tartar.
- Brush your teeth twice a day, or better yet, after every meal or snack.
- Floss daily.
- Use a mouth rinse to help reduce plaque between your teeth.
- Use an interdental cleaner, such as a dental pick or dental stick specially designed to clean between your teeth.
- Don't rely on tartar-control toothpaste to do the job that brushing and flossing should.
References
- What is gingivitis? American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/gingivitis.htm. Accessed Oct. 17, 2008.
- Nguyen HD, et al. Common dental infections in the primary care setting. American Family Physician. 2008;77:797.
- Wilder RS, et al. Gingivitis and periodontitis in adults: Classification and dental treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 10, 2008.
- Gingivitis. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch095/ch095c.html. Accessed Oct. 17, 2008.
- The use and handling of toothbrushes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/infectioncontrol/factsheets/toothbrushes.htm. Accessed Oct. 17, 2008.
- Cleaning your teeth and gums (oral hygiene). American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cleaning_faq.asp. Accessed Oct. 23, 2008.
- Assad DA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., Oct. 19, 2008.
