If you’ve recently visited your dentist, you may have learned that you have gum disease?
That being the case, perhaps you’re wondering what’s the best toothpaste for gum disease – or does such a product even exist?
Well, here’s what you should know.
First of all, gum disease is extremely common. In fact, 22.9% of the population has gum disease or periodontal disease, as it’s also known. So please don’t feel too bad about it
The good news is that gum disease can be reversed with a professional dental clean and improved oral hygiene at home in its early stages.
Healthy gums should be pale pink and firm, whereas we’re guessing yours are red, swollen and tender. You may find your gums bleed easily when they’re brushed or when you bite into hard, crunchy foods.
The list further down the page is for those specifically suffering from gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontal disease. We’ll also discuss how different toothpaste can help your gum disease.
Do I need a specialist toothpaste for gum disease?
That’s a good question.
The main culprit of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. In other words, inadequate brushing and flossing. Without proper brushing and regular dental cleans, plaque accumulates on the teeth and beneath the gum line. This causes irritation leading to gum inflammation, infection and disease.
When you have gum disease, how you clean your teeth matters more than the type of toothpaste on your brush – physically removing plaque and bacteria is vital.
With efficient brushing and interdental cleaning techniques, with regular toothpaste, it shouldn’t take you long to combat early gum disease and get your oral health back on track.
However, you might want to swap to a specific toothpaste for gum disease if you:
- want additional help from antibacterial chemicals
- need help seeing where the plaque is
- want a more gentle toothpaste because your gums are sore
Best toothpaste for gum disease – 5 Options
To help you choose the best toothpaste for your gum disease, we’ve listed five options. Each one offers slightly different things, so read the pros and cons to discover the one that’s best suited to you.
Oral B Gum Care and Enamel Restore
According to this trusted brand, this fresh minty toothpaste helps restore tooth enamel and revitalise the gums in just two weeks. It’s one of the few kinds of toothpaste containing an active ingredient for gum disease and ingredients that help reduce staining.
Stannous fluoride and zinc citrate are the ingredients that manage gum disease by fighting plaque along the gum line and slowing its regrowth. The stannous fluoride also remineralises weakened tooth enamel to protect and strengthen the teeth. If you have gum disease and sensitivity, this could be the best toothpaste for you.
Pros
-
- Promotes gum health
- Fights cavities
- Prevents enamel erosion
- Fights harmful plaque along the gum line
- Reduces sensitivity
- Widely available in supermarkets
- Affordable
Cons
- Single-use plastics
- No information re animal testing
Price: $10.00 110g tube
Piksters Plaq Go Disclosing Toothpaste
If you’re wondering why this could be the best toothpaste for gum disease, it’s because it identifies the areas of plaque, making it easier to remove and improve oral hygiene. It’s great as a training tool for kids, too, to help them brush more efficiently.
The toothpaste stains the plaque that causes gum disease making it easier to brush better at home. The toothpaste contains an ingredient only visible when the included flashlight is shone on the teeth. It sounds like a gimmick, but there’s no stained lips or clothes to contend with compared to disclosing tablets, although the cost may be slightly higher.
Pros
- Flashlight shows plaque
- Contains fluoride to protect against cavities
- Doesn’t stain the mouth or clothes
- Mint flavour for adults
- Tropical flavour for kids
- Assists with better toothbrushing
Cons
- The green colour is a little off-putting
- Some reviewers stated the flashlight didn’t work
Price: $6.00 per tube
Grants of Australia Propolis Toothpaste
If you’re after a natural solution to gum disease, this is the best toothpaste. The toothpaste contains propolis, a resinous matter collected from Honeybees, and is free from fluoride, SLS or preservatives. The company claim their toothpaste is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, and indeed, there is some evidence supporting its use in preventing gum disease.
This toothpaste reduces plaque and inflammation to minimise dental cavities and is suited to anyone who likes a strong minty taste.
Pros
- Australian brand made in Melbourne
- Naturally derived ingredients
- No ingredients are genetically modified
- SLS free
- Gluten-free
- Eco-friendly packaging
- Not tested on animals
Cons
-
- No fluoride for protection from cavities
- Propolis is an animal-derived product
Price: $4.20 110g tube
Colgate ® Total ® Gum Health Toothpaste
You’ve probably guessed by the name that this Colgate toothpaste doesn’t just fight bacterial inflammation and promote gum health; it keeps the whole mouth healthy and even helps remove surface stains for a whiter smile.
Colgate Total neutralises the odours of bad breath associated with gum disease to give long-lasting results. It also fights against cavities and strengthens tooth enamel. Its anti-bacterial formula reduces plaque build-up that causes periodontal disease forming a protective layer that continues to fight bacteria for the next 12 hours.
Pros
- Prevents tartar build-up
- Protects gums
- Removes plaque
- Re-mineralises tooth enamel
- Freshens breath
- Whitens teeth
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
Cons
- None that we could find
Price: $3.00 115g tube
ChloroFluor Gel
Okay, so this one’s not strictly a toothpaste (it’s a gel), but we’ve included it because it contains chlorhexidine and is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration. While it does not help prevent gum disease per se, it can be used to manage a flare-up of gum disease and gives relief from sore gums and ulcers. It also controls plaque growth on removable prosthetics or orthodontic devices.
We recommend limiting the use of ChloroFluor Gel to a couple of weeks because it can cause superficial (harmless) staining on the teeth. Once your gums have calmed down, you should return to your regular toothpaste.
Pros
- Can be used daily
- Contains fluoride to protect against cavities
- TGA approved
Cons
- Can cause teeth staining
- Only available from a dentist and certain online pharmacies
Price: $11.99 30ml bottle
Hopefully, with the help of the list above, you’ve discovered the best toothpaste for your needs, so now let’s answer another question that may be on your mind.
How to clean your teeth if you have gum disease?
One of the signs of early gum disease (gingivitis) is bleeding gums, and you may have noticed this before you visited your dentist. Gingivitis occurs when bacteria are not thoroughly removed from the mouth.
Without treatment, gingivitis can progress to a more severe condition – periodontal disease – that causes bone erosion and the possible loss of teeth.
Some people shy away from cleaning their teeth when they have gum disease because their gums feel tender and bleed.
Don’t fall into that trap!
The single thing you can do to reverse early gum disease and prevent it from progressing to full-blown periodontal disease is to clean your teeth. This includes:
- Brushing the teeth twice a day (at least) for two minutes using an electric toothbrush.
- Incorporating Interdental cleaning aids such as water flossers, floss, and interdental brushes on a daily basis.
- Rinsing with anti-bacterial mouthwash
- A professional dental clean and scale to make it easier to clean your teeth at home.
If you’re still not sure which is the best toothpaste for your gum disease, then here are a few tips that may help.
- If your gums are particularly sore, then a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth may be the way to go.
- Should your gum disease be severe, and despite your best efforts, there is no visible improvement in your condition, you may need additional ingredients to heal the gums. We recommend a toothpaste containing peptides or hyaluronic acid.
- To alleviate swelling and bleeding associated with gum disease, try a
- toothpaste containing sodium bicarbonate, stannous fluoride, or herbal ingredients.
- Adopting an efficient cleaning routine to use each day reduces the amount of gum disease-causing bacteria helping to reduce inflammation and firm up the gums.
If you can clean your mouth thoroughly using the tools above with one of the toothpastes mentioned above, you could notice a difference in soreness and bleeding within a week.
How to avoid gum disease?
Of course, the best option is to avoid gum disease in the first place. Adopting a daily oral routine at home combined with regular visits to your dentist goes a long way to preventing gum disease. If you’re a smoker, then try and quit. Not only is this better for your overall health, but your mouth will thank you too. Pay attention to what you put in your mouth as well – cutting back on sugar and eating a well-balanced diet.
If you suspect you may have gum disease or you’re overdue for a general check-up and clean, then our friendly, experienced team is here to help. Why not schedule an appointment with Dental 266 Burwood by calling us on 02 9051 0600 today.
References
Australian Government Department of Health – Oral Health and Visiting Pattern of Australian Adults
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/report_nacdh~report_nacdh_ch1~report_nacdh_ad#:~:text=Periodontitis,cent%20of%20the%20Australian%20population.
British Dental Journal – A clinical guide to periodontology: Pathology of periodontal disease
https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2014.299
Professional Sunstargum.com – Interdental cleaning to prevent and treat gum disease: State of the evidence
https://professional.sunstargum.com/content/dam/sunstar-europe/gum/documents/scientific-documentation/Whitepaper-Interdental-Cleaning-EN.pdf
NCBI – The Effectiveness of Propolis on Gingivitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270157/