Periodontics Article

Poor Nutrition Can Lead to Gum Disease

Two out of every four adults living in the United States today have gum disease, and many of them may not even know it. Gum disease could be caused by hormonal changes, or prescription medication, but is most often caused by plaque and tartar buildup, or poor dental care. If you neglect your dental health, and do so for long enough, you very likely could develop gum disease, which could seriously impact your health if left untreated.

When gingivitis first appears, you may not notice the symptoms, or if you do, you may simply overlook them for something else. You may not even realize you have a problem until you get an infection or abscess, or of course, start losing your teeth. If it gets to that point, it may already be too late to find a treatment that can save your teeth, but it is important that you seek dental care, sooner rather than later.

Along with poor dental hygiene and dental care, gum disease is also often caused by smoking, using tobacco products, drug or alcohol abuse, and inadequate nutrition. You wouldn’t really think that the food you eat would impact your dental health, but even if you do take care of your teeth, brushing properly, flossing, and seeing the dentist, you could still suffer from gum disease if you eat a poor diet.

Your body is designed to protect itself against bacteria and disease, but it can’t do this without the vitamins and minerals that you get from your food. These vitamins and minerals give your body the strength and power it needs to protect you from these dangerous diseases, such as gum disease. You need plenty of Vitamin C, flavonoids, and Calcium to help your body fight off gum disease and other dental problems, along with good hygiene and dental care.

Some of the foods that you eat can actually speed up the growth of plaque and bacteria in your mouth, such as sweet, sugary foods and drinks, speeding up the process that leads to gum disease. So, try to limit the amount of sweets that you eat, and if you do eat a sweet food or drink a sugary drink, try to brush your teeth immediately after. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, opting for fresh or frozen instead. Make certain that you eat a lot of fiber containing foods, such as oranges, cereal, bread, peas, pears, and broccoli, which not only aid in the prevention of gum disease, but aid in the digestion process as well. If you routinely don’t eat healthy foods, think about supplementing with vitamins, so that your body still gets the nutrition it needs.

By simply eating the right foods, brushing your teeth correctly twice a day, flossing once a day, using a good anti-bacterial mouthwash, and seeing your dentist regularly, you can really decrease your odds of suffering from gum disease. It only takes a little time to make a big impact, which could influence both your physical and dental health!