7 Ways Your Gums Tell You About Your Health 

For many of us, the idea that gums should be pink isn’t so helpful. Pink’s just of the colours of healthy gums. They vary in colour depending on pigmentation: light pink to coral pink to darker pink, brown, dark brown, purplish, or bluish-black areas of melanin pigmentation.  

What’s important is that know your gums’ natural hues and that they aren’t red, swollen or showing patchy changes.  

Plaque is to gums as kryptonite is to Superman. Irregular or mistakenly inadequate brushing of the gumline lets plaque stick around, causing gum irritation.  

Happily, if gums bleed and we pay extra attention to giving plaque the brush off they get well soon! Making interdental brushing a daily habit, alongside a twice a day routine with the toothbrush, means our gums adjust quickly.   

Psst! They’re secretly thanking you for the extra gum love.  

While minding those interdental gaps and contact points might seem like the last thing you want to do before bed, choosing your interspace cleaning tools carefully can spur you on to gold standard habits.  

Find a smaller interdental tool fiddly?  

TePe Interdentals Angle offer a pre-angled head and a long handle – absolutely no need to even get your fingers wet. For those of us with sensory sensitivities, they can be just the ticket!  

Don’t like floss that wraps around your fingers?  

Glide Floss Picks offer flossing with one hand – now that truly is flossing like a boss! 

Even before you notice that your mouth has become dry, your gums show the signs that you’re dehydrated by becoming slightly swollen, sensitive or ‘sticky’.   

Gums rely on saliva to help wash away bacteria, neutralise acids, deliver minerals like calcium and phosphate and maintain the microbiome of your mouth.  

Without enough hydration, we risk glum gums: 

• Plaque builds up more easily along the gumline.  
• Gums become more prone to irritation and inflammation  
• Early stages of gum issues like gingivitis are more likely 

Noticing that, even when hitting your water goals, your mouth still feels dry?  

XyliMelts are little mouth moisturisers. They stick to your gum or inner cheek; you can even sleep in them. They’ll turn your mouth into an oasis that can benefit your gums as XyliMelts contain xylitol, an ingredient that pesky cavity causing bacteria in the mouth hate. 

We brush them, occasionally knock them, and they survive the mechanical wear of chewing.  Sometimes, though, gums suffer from gingivitis, when gums become red, swollen and sensitive.   

Stepping up with additional care for gums during these times could help speed up healing. Both Gengigel Gum Protection Daily Toothpaste and Gengigel Mouthrinse support gums irritated by plaque or periodontal disease with hyaluronic acid, a natural substance that is key to gum health. A subscription to a Gum Heal and Protect Kit for ongoing daily support and maintenance of gums gives gums a healing boost from both toothpaste and mouthrinse. Now, that’s double bubble hyaluronic acid!  

Reversing gingivitis is paramount. While gums with gingivitis can heal, if left, gingivitis can be a gateway for an infection called periodontitis or gum disease. Gum disease can only be controlled, not reversed. Having entered beneath the gums, bacteria weaken the periodontal ligament, which is the tissue that suspends our teeth in their sockets, and the bones that our teeth nestle in. Untreated, teeth can become loose in their sockets.  The message is to treat gingivitis seriously.  

While we all remember being nagged about brushing our teeth as children, as adults we need to add looking after our gums to our repertoire of oral care. We won’t nag but we will champion you. Grrr, go get ‘em, tiger! 

There’s a reason we encourage loving your gums: gum inflammation has been linked to increased systemic inflammation, which may contribute to cardiovascular disease. As part of overall wellbeing, looking after gums properly, ensuring that they’re healthy and happy could be part of your good health armoury.  Good health to you! 

If you’re under treatment for periodontal disease   

Supporting gums between dental appointments when diagnosed with gum disease is key. To actively control periodontal disease, two ingredients that work together are an excellent addition to your oral care routine. 

• Chlorhexidine Digluconate (CHX): Reduces plaque and prevents bacterial growth. 
• Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC): Provides antimicrobial action that helps reduce plaque and control gingivitis. 

If you’re looking for effective combinations and strengths of these two heavy lifters in the fight for healthier gums, choose Gum Intensive Care Kit to help prevent complications from severe gum disease during active treatment or post-op recovery.    

For daily control of gum disease, choose a Gum Active Control Kit which combines CHX and CPC at levels suited to ongoing gum care.