If you have swollen gums, you are likely to feel immense pain, especially when eating or brushing your teeth. Sometimes you may even experience bleeding in the process. They make your mouth very uncomfortable and prevent you from going about your normal daily activities such as eating and drinking. Therefore, if your gums happen to swell, you should make a point of visiting a dentist as soon as possible. However, even before seeing the dentist, you should take measures to relieve the swelling. Below are a few tips that can help you calm swollen gums and prevent the situation from worsening.

1. Use an Anti-Gingivitis Toothpaste to Clean Your Teeth

There are many types of toothpaste that we use in our oral care routine; everyone has his or her own choice. However, there are specific types that have unique features to deal with different oral conditions. For instance, "anti-gingivitis toothpaste" has special ingredients that kill the bacteria which cause gum disease. Therefore, if you notice swelling in your gums, it would be wise to use toothpaste that can protect you against gingivitis.

2. Get a Softer Toothbrush

Brushing can be very painful when you have swollen gums. However, you can reduce the pain by using a softer toothbrush that won't hurt the gums. Also, you should be extra careful and gentle when cleaning the teeth. Brush gently up and down and don't press the brush against the gums as it will only cause more pain and bleeding.

3. Use a Numbing Gel

Sometimes swollen gums can be very painful, to the extent that they make it hard for you to eat, concentrate or even sleep. If the pain is too much for you, a numbing gel can help reduce the pain so you can go on with your exercises. Gels containing benzocaine are known to be very soothing and can assist you to calm the gums.

4. Avoid Hard and Hot Foods

Hard food can hurt swollen gums, and hot food can be very irritating. Therefore, always allow cooked food to cool before eating, and avoid hard food and foods that require too much chewing such as meat. You can also take a few cold snacks such as fruit juice and yoghurt between meals to calm your gums. Also, it's advisable to avoid spices, particularly hot peppers.

5. Continue to Floss

When you have swollen gums, you are likely to avoid flossing because of the pain. However, flossing is essential to your oral health and skipping it could allow more bacteria to accumulate and this may worsen the gum disease. When using string floss, you only need to move the floss in between the teeth and bend it on the edges to remove plaque. In case you have tightly packed teeth, a water flosser can help clean all the tight areas softly. 

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