Maintaining your oral hygiene is more important than you think. Your oral health can affect your overall health. It can affect your cardiovascular health, causes diabetes and also cause lung infections.1
One of the most common impacts of poor oral hygiene is receding gums. Receding gums occur when the gum tissue around the teeth wears away, creating a gap between your teeth and gums, and exposing the teeth more than usual. The gap created, allows the harmful bacteria and germs to enter, giving rise to gum diseases.
Receding gums can be the first sign to further develop gum diseases. It can be treated by agents that repair the tissues and making the bond between the teeth and gums stronger.
Here are 9 ways you can treat receding gums:
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera promotes healing and is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. As an antioxidant, aloe vera heals and repairs the soft tissues in the mouth.2
How To: Aloe vera gel can be used to brush your teeth and also to massage your gums after meals. You can also use it as a mouthwash to reduce the inflammation and repair your gums.
2. Green Tea
Drinking green tea is one of the best ways to keep periodontal diseases away. People who drink green tea regularly have better teeth and gums, than those who don’t.3
Green tea contains the antioxidant catechin that is responsible for maintaining the health of your gums and teeth. Not only will green tea help you treat receding gums, it will also protect your teeth from any damage. Green tea also helps to make the attachment of the gums and teeth stronger.
How To: Drink 1-2 cups of green tea a day. If you don’t like drinking it, pick a toothpaste or mouthwash that contains green tea.
3. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil possesses anti-microbial properties and can be used to cure infections.4 Coconut oil can reduce the tooth decay and bacteria in the mouth and in turn help to cure receding gums.
How To: Use the oil pulling technique of swishing some coconut oil in your mouth or use it as a mouthwash every day after eating.
4. Clove Oil
Clove oil contains eugenol that is an effective anti-bacterial agent against the bacteria in your mouth.5 Apart from treating receding gums, it can also reduce any inflammation in your gums.
How To: Massaging clove oil on your gums for a few minutes can give you positive results for your receding gums.
5. Lemongrass Oil
The anti-fungal, antibacterial, antioxidant properties of lemongrass oil are not limited to relieving pain.6 It can be used to reduce inflammation and stop the growth of oral bacteria. Lemongrass oil not only helps to reduce plaque but as an astringent stimulates the tissues and helps them regenerate.7
How To: Boil a few leaves of lemongrass in water. Gargle this water once it is warm to reduce the inflammation in your gums.
6. Sesame Oil
Oil pulling with sesame oil can treat receding gums due to its antibacterial properties.8 It also prevents tooth decay, bleeding gums and strengthens your gums and teeth.9
How To: Swishing sesame oil in the mouth can activate the enzymes and draws toxins out of the blood, in turn restoring the health of your gums. It should be done after you brush your teeth and on an empty stomach.
7. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus oil has an antibacterial effect against oral bacteria that causes gum recession. It also helps in inhibiting plaque and tooth decay. Eucalyptus oil is effective in reducing the risk of gum diseases.
How To: Combine a few drops of eucalyptus oil in some warm water and massage it on your gums for a few days to stimulate tissue growth and treat receding gums.
8. Tea tree Oil
Tea tree oil’s antibacterial properties make it ideal to be used for oral hygiene and it’s an effective antiseptic agent against oral pathogens as well.10 Tea tree oil helps to kill the bacteria in the mouth and reduce inflammation.
How To: Oil pulling with tea tree oil can treat receding gums but always dilute the oil before you use it.
9. Sage Leaves
It creates and barrier and protects your teeth and gums against oral diseases. Pregnant women should avoid using sage as they may cause miscarriage, bleeding or reduce the milk supply.
How To: To treat receding gums, sage leaves can be massaged directly on your teeth.
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