Understanding How Fighting Gingivitis Can Help You Ace Your Next Dental Check-Up

CINCINNATI, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MS --Those who faithfully brush their teeth each morning and night might feel as though they're doing enough to achieve a healthy smile. However, even people with good oral care habits may hear from their dentist or hygienist that they have signs of gingivitis, an early form of gum disease.

Arming yourself with a better understanding of gingivitis and tools to help fight it can help improve the health of your mouth and make your next dental visit a more positive experience.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is a very common early form of gum disease that causes gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily during brushing or flossing. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious form of gum disease known as periodontitis, which affects the tissues that surround and support the teeth and represents a major cause of tooth loss in adults.(1)

How Can I Fight Gingivitis?

Fortunately, there are several ways you can protect yourself from gingivitis. Try these techniques between dental visits to help improve your chances of acing your next dental check-up.

• Rinse, rinse, rinse! Using a mouth rinse is an important part of your overall oral care routine. Look for a rinse that protects against plaque and gingivitis like Crest® Pro-Health® Invigorating Clean Multi-Protection Rinse. Rinsing with Invigorating Clean takes no more than a minute a day, but protects against gingivitis and leaves you with a lasting cool freshness that helps to signal that you are on the path to a healthy mouth. In fact, in a survey of over 100 Women's Health readers selected to receive free samples of a new Crest Pro-Health Rinse, 89 percent felt more confident about their next dental check-up after regular use of Crest Pro-Health Invigorating Clean Multi-Protection Rinse.(2)
• Give your mouth the time it deserves. Spending a little more time on your oral health is an easy way to help keep your smile in shape. Make sure to spend at least two minutes brushing, which should include 30 seconds of brushing each section of your mouth (upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left), both morning and night.
• Get in touch with your toothpaste. Not all toothpastes work the same, so choose one that protects against gingivitis. Unlike ordinary toothpastes, Crest® Pro-Health® Clinical Gum Protection Invigorating Clean Mint Toothpaste helps eliminate plaque at the gum line. In a recent clinical study, 100 percent of people who used Clinical Gum Protection Invigorating Clean Mint Toothpaste together with Crest Pro-Health Invigorating Clean Multi-Protection Rinse, Oral-B® CrossAction® Pro-Health® Toothbrush and Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Clinical Protection Floss had reduced gingivitis in just two weeks.(3)

Taking steps towards helping to prevent gingivitis can not only help you achieve a healthier mouth, but can help make you and your dentist smile at your next visit!

To learn more about your dental health, visit www.crestprohealth.com.

(1) American Dental Association. Disease, Gum (Diseases, Periodontal). Retrieved April 1, 2011, from www.ada.org/3063.aspx

(2) Source: 2011 Women's Health Reader Panel. Survey results based upon responses from 108 female Women's Health readers between the ages of 30 and 54, who are regular users of mouth wash and in good health, received a free sample of Crest Pro-Health product to try for one week in their home environment and participated in a promotion for the opportunity to travel to New York City for a photo shoot and be featured in Women's Health magazine.

(3) When Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection Toothpaste, Oral-B®  CrossAction® Pro-Health® toothbrush, Crest Pro-Health Invigorating Clean Multi-Protection Rinse and Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Clinical Protection Floss are used together.  Individual results may vary.

SOURCE Crest