Go to any family dental practitioner, and the one idea you'll hear over and over again is how important gum health is. It's a good idea to know what tools are available to you and your family members, though. Let's look at 5 items that can make a major difference when it comes to taking care of your gums.

Toothbrush

Yep, the old standby is at the top of the list. In addition to the traditional manual toothbrush, you may also want to look at electric toothbrushes. These can aid in making sure every tooth gets the attention it needs, and they can help people work along the gum line better. Some kids may not be ready for using them, though, because electric toothbrushes require the operator to move steadily from tooth to tooth.

Proxabrush

These are smaller brushes designed to get between teeth and also around dental appliances like braces. They can be very handy for poking around in spots where the bristles of toothbrushes just don't reach. Your dental hygienist can help you determine what size of proxabrush you need because everyone has different sizes of gaps between their teeth.

Water Flosser

A water flosser is a device that jets water into the mouth. Most models come with multiple attachments, and they also can be adjusted to different settings. People with active gum disease issues may need to slowly work their way up the power scale with a water flosser because aggressive spraying can encourage bleeding.

Not every family dentist will recommend one so talk with yours about whether it's a good choice for you. Also, these systems are sometimes referred to as oral irrigators.

String Floss

Even if you have a water flosser and are thrilled with its results, there's no substitute for getting in there manually. String floss is a good option for people who have very tight gaps in their teeth or who get lots of stuff stuck. It's also a good backup option for when the other tools on this list simply aren't getting the job done.

Tongue Scrapers

While we tend to focus on the teeth and gums, the tongue is also a source of harmful bacteria in the mouth. These devices remove materials from the tongue, minimizing the breeding grounds for bacteria. Not only does this prevent bad breath, but it can keep loose food particles and bacteria from contributing to gum disease and cavities.