National Gum Care Month: September 2026
Your gums do more than frame your smile. They help protect the tissues and structures that support your teeth, making gum health an important part of your overall oral health. The good news? Many of the things that help keep your gums healthy come down to simple daily habits.
This National Gum Care Month, let’s take a look at some of the things your gums love—and a few things they don’t.
Your Gums Love: Daily Brushing
Your Gums Don’t Love: Skipping Brushing
Brushing twice a day helps remove plaque, the sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth and along the gum line. When plaque isn’t removed regularly, it can contribute to irritation and inflammation of the gums.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle, circular motions to clean along the gum line. Brushing harder doesn’t mean you’re cleaning better. In fact, aggressive brushing can irritate your gums and contribute to gum recession over time.
Your Gums Love: Cleaning Between Your Teeth
Your Gums Don’t Love: Leaving Those Spaces Untouched
When you brush your teeth, your toothbrush can’t reach every surface of your teeth. That’s why it’s important to clean between your teeth daily using floss. Flossing helps remove plaque and food particles from areas that brushing alone may miss, helping keep your gum line cleaner and healthier.
Making this a daily habit can help prevent plaque and tartar buildup and reduce the risk of gum irritation, sensitivity, and bleeding.
Your Gums Love: Regular Dental Cleanings
Your Gums Don’t Love: Skipping Your Appointments
Brushing and flossing are essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, but sometimes they aren’t enough to remove everything. Plaque can harden into tartar, which cannot be removed with regular brushing and flossing. Professional cleanings help remove these buildup and keep your teeth and gums clean.
Routine dental exams also give your dentist the opportunity to check for signs of gum inflammation, periodontal disease, and other oral health concerns. Keeping up with regular cleanings and exams can help identify problems early before they become bigger, more costly, and more difficult to treat.
Your Gums Love: Water
Your Gums Don’t Love: Constant Sugar Exposure
What you eat and drink every day can affect your oral health. Frequently consuming sugary foods and drinks can give harmful bacteria in your mouth more opportunities to produce acids that contribute to tooth decay.
Water, on the other hand, helps rinse away food particles and keeps your mouth hydrated. Choosing water more often is a simple way to support a healthier mouth
Your Gums Love: A Smoke-Free Lifestyle
Your Gums Don’t Love: Tobacco
Smoking and other tobacco use can negatively affect your gums and increase your risk for periodontal disease. Tobacco can also make it harder for your gums to heal and can affect the success of periodontal treatment.
If you use tobacco, talking with your healthcare provider or dentist about how quitting can benefit both your oral and overall health.
Give Your Gums Some Love This National Gum Care Month
Healthy gums start with the habits you practice every day. Making small changes, like flossing, brushing, drinking plenty of water, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding tobacco, can help protect your gums and support your overall oral health.
If you are experiencing gum inflammation, bleeding, recession, swelling, or persistent bad breath, don’t ignore it. Take the time to schedule an appointment so your dental team can evaluate your gums and determine if treatment is needed.
Whether you’re looking to stay on top of your oral health with routine cleanings and exams or need periodontal treatment for gum disease, American Dental Solutions is here for you. Our team includes general dentists, periodontists, and endodontists who work together to provide comprehensive care and help you achieve a healthier smile and gums.
View our doctors and schedule your appointment today!
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