Page 51 - Prevention (February 2020)

says. Over time, plaque (a thin film of products don’t ease the ouch, your dentist
bacteria) develops into tough deposits can prescribe gel or paste with a stronger
of tartar that can’t be removed at home; fluoride formulation.
visit your dentist every six months
to have it taken off and get your gum GET A DEEP CLEANING
health checked. Your dentist or periodontist can treat
gum disease that advances to perio-
TREAT IT dontitis by removing plaque and tartar

below the gumline (called scaling), then
USE SPECIAL PASTE cleaning and smoothing the root sur-
Receding gums are often accompanied by faces of teeth (root planing) to prevent
bacteria from regaining a foothold.
loss of the tooth’s outer enamel, exposing
NICHOLAS EVELEIGH/GETTY IMAGES. sages through which nerves communi- CONSIDER SURGERY
dentin, a tooth layer lined with tiny pas-

cate. Consuming cold, hot, sweet, or sour
A gum graft can help severely receding
gums by covering exposed root surfaces
food or beverages can trigger sensitivity;
to manage it, brush with toothpaste
that make tooth sensitivity more likely
and discouraging further gum recession.
containing ingredients such as potassium
Doctors can make a synthetic graft or use
nitrate, which blocks dentin passages
tissue from your mouth.
and reduces pain. If over-the-counter
F E B RUARY 2020 • PREVENTION.COM 47