Did you know that about half of American adults — nearly 65 million people — have some form of periodontitis (mild, moderate, or severe)? If left untreated, periodontitis can have long lasting effects on oral health. Not only can it result in inflamed, painful gums, but it can also have the end effect of lost teeth.

Not surprisingly, gum disease is going to be something you want to prevent. Luckily, there are a wide variety of tools and techniques available for you to manage your oral health. Here are a few facts worth keeping in mind.

Good Brushing Habits

When you?re brushing your teeth, make sure to get around the surface of each tooth. It?s easy to ignore or forget the importance of getting the inner side of the tooth, for example, or the baseline of the gums. You?re going to want to scrub continually for a few minutes — don?t brush too hard, though, as this can erode your gumline. Toothbrushes should be held at a 45 degree angle, and thrown out once they become too worn. Brushing your tooth to remove the bacteria there is also recommended.

Flossing is Key

Brushing may take care of 70% of the surface of your teeth, but flossing covers the other 30%. Although many people have a ?when I remember to do it? attitude toward flossing, in reality, this is essential to good oral health. What are flossing basics? To begin with, you should be flossing once a day. When you do floss, you want to hold the floss around the tooth in a C shape, moving back and forth along the tooth. This helps to ensure that you?re actually removing plaque. If this proves difficult, you can opt for interdental brushes instead — they are also effective at removing plaque. Interdental brushes can actually be better at reducing interproximal plaque than regular dental floss.

Don?t Forget Your Routine Checkup

Experts suggest visiting your local dentist at least twice every year. This way, if there are any issues developing in your mouth, dentists can advise you while the problems are still in the beginning stages and reversible. If you come to a dentist after having gum disease for five years, instead of just five months, for example, there?s going to be a world of difference in how much they can help your mouth get back to a healthy state.

Good dental care is important, so take care of your teeth today!