What if you floss and brush until you’re blue in the face and you still have bleeding, receding gums? You’re dealing with a stubborn case of what’s known as gingivitis. And it is cause for concern. Left for even a short time along your gum line, food particles and bacteria combine to form plaque, which hardens on your teeth and irritates your gums. Irritated gums bleed and eventually start to recede, creating pockets next to your teeth that collect even more junk. Before long, the plaque starts attacking the roots of your teeth and your jawbone; this is the point at which gingivitis turns into a more serious gum problem known as periodontal disease. If periodontal disease progresses too far without proper medical intervention, you might even lose some teeth.
When it comes to healthy gums, most dentists rightly focus on clearing out the crud with frequent flossing and brushing. But there’s no doubt that diet also plays a role.
“After all, the mouth is attached to the rest of the body,” says Cherilyn Sheets, D.D.S., a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry and a dentist in Newport Beach, California. “Anything that improves health overall and the body’s ability to resist disease will affect the mouth positively.” Eat badly enough, or indulge in damaging behaviors such as smoking and excessive drinking, and your whole body suffers, including your mouth, says Dr. Sheets.
| Food Factors Keeping these dietary tips in mind may keep your gums in the pink. Phase out soft drinks. Canned soda contains excess phosphorus, a mineral that could lead to the leaching of calcium from your bones, a potential cause of osteoporosis. Some researchers believe that calcium is first robbed not from your hips or spine but from your jaw, leading to tooth loss, says Ken Wical, D.D.S., professor of restorative dentistry at Loma Linda University in California. "We see a number of young women in their teens who, I believe because of poor dietary habits such as drinking diet soda and not getting enough calcium, have the jaws of much older women," says Dr. Wical. "And by the time they're in their thirties, they're wearing dentures." Reduce your sugar. In addition to promoting dental decay, sugar is thought to harm gums. Many dentists believe that sugar feeds the bacteria that cause the infection leading to gingivitis, although there are no definitive studies to prove this. |
Take Vitamin C and See Improvement
“Certainly, vitamin C is the one nutrient that has been shown to have quite a positive effect on the mouth when in adequate levels in the body and a negative effect on the mouth when in low levels in the body,” says Dr. Sheets. People with vitamin C deficiencies can have some of the worst gum and dental problems that dentists see.
To measure the effect of vitamin C deficiency on gum health, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry for 14 weeks fed 11 men rotating diets that purposely excluded fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C, in the form of a supplement dissolved in grape juice, was added to their diets only during certain weeks. At the end of the study, researchers found that as vitamin C levels in the men went down, their gums bled more. When they received more vitamin C, their gums bled less.
Further research with laboratory animals confirmed that vitamin C deficiency causes gum swelling, decreased mineral content of the jawbone and loose teeth.
Why the damage? As it turns out, vitamin C is vital for production of collagen, the basic protein building block for the fibrous framework of all tissues, including gums, explains Mary Dan Eades, M.D., medical director of the Arkansas Center for Health and Weight Control in Little Rock. “Vitamin C strengthens weak gum tissue and makes the gum lining more resistant to penetration by bacteria,” she says.
Dr. Eades recommends using vitamin C in two ways—as a mouthwash and as a supplement—to fight gingivitis. “Mix a half-teaspoon of crystalline vitamin C with a sugar-free citrus beverage, swish the mixture in your mouth for one minute, then swallow, twice daily,” she advises. Follow each rinse with plenty of fresh water.
Crystalline vitamin C is also called powdered pure ascorbic acid and is available in health food stores and through vitamin supply houses. Your doctor could help you find a supply. (Chewable or powdered vitamin C can erode tooth enamel. So it’s best to stick to the crystalline form if you’re using it as a mouth rinse.)
You can also take 500-milligram slow-release vitamin C capsules, one or two in the morning and one or two in the evening, says Dr. Eades. (Some people may experience diarrhea when taking vitamin C in doses exceeding 1,200 milligrams a day.) Meanwhile, keep on brushing and flossing!
| Prescriptions for Healing You may see substantial improvement in the health of your gums by making sure you brush, floss and get adequate levels of vitamin C each day, says Mary Dan Eades, M.D., medical director of the Arkansas Center for Health and Weight Control in Little Rock. Here are her recommendations for a healthier mouth. Nutrient Daily Amount
Vitamin C 1,000-2,000 milligrams (slow-release capsules), taken as 2 divided doses ½ teaspoon (crystalline vitamin C), mixed with a sugar-free citrus beverage and used as an oral rinse twice a day (swish in your mouth for 1 minute)
MEDICAL ALERT: If you have gingivitis, you should be under a dentist's care. Chewable and powdered vitamin C have been found to erode tooth enamel, so it's best to use the crystalline form in a mouth rinse. This is a big problem and can also cause tooth sensitivity. Some dentists prefer using the oral rinse for three to five days at a time. Follow the rinse with plenty of fresh water. Vitamin C can also cause diarrhea in doses exceeding 1,200 milligrams. |
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