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• Velvety white, red, or speckled patches
• Unexplained bleeding
• Numbness or loss of feeling
• Pain or tenderness
• Persistent sores
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue
• Hoarseness, chronic sore throat, change in voice
• Coughing fits
• Frequent earaches and headaches

*Patches, sores, bumps, bleeding, and pain can apply to any surface of the mouth, lips, tongue, cheeks, tonsils, and gums.

• Chronic bad breath – the bacteria that accumulates on plaque and tartar creates what is called a biofilm, and this biofilm can cause chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis.
• Red, swollen gums – happy, healthy gums are a light pink color and appear mostly flush with your teeth. When they’re inflamed, they appear darker, sometimes red, and may look puffy as though pockets of fluid are beneath them.
• Sensitive, bleeding gums – this one may seem obvious, but the myth that bleeding while brushing is normal is a pervasive one. Bleeding gums are a sign of infection, and at this stage your gums may be very tender even when you’re not brushing.
• Pain when chewing – if gum disease persists, the bacteria starts to cause deterioration of your periodontal ligaments and jawbone. This weakening makes the act of chewing start to hurt.
• Gum recession – when gums recede, which means pulling back from your teeth, they expose the tooth root, causing extreme sensitivity and the appearance of longer teeth.
• Loosening of teeth – when the foundation your tooth roots depend on starts deteriorating, your teeth start to loosen until they fall out.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush—we highly recommend Philips Sonicare™ and offer replacement brush heads in our office. Hard bristles won’t give you a deeper clean and are too harsh on your enamel and gums.
• Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush gently along your gumline in circular motions.
• Use a tongue scraper or your toothbrush to remove bacteria from your tongue.
• Floss once a day to remove plaque and debris your toothbrush can’t reach. Curve the floss in a c-shape around each tooth and use a clean section each time.
• Optional: for added freshness and bacteria fighting, use an alcohol-free mouthwash.
• When you’re out and about and don’t have your oral hygiene tools with you, swish and spit water after eating and drinking beverages like coffee, soda, and tea. This helps reduce acidity and the buildup of food debris.
• Wait 30 minutes after brushing to eat or drink anything other than water. And wait 30 minutes to brush after eating or drinking! This helps prevent acid erosion.