Diabetes in Gum Health

A number of health problems can take a toll on your gums. One of the most significant of these is diabetes, which makes you more prone to many infections, including gum infections. But the relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease doesn't end there. Gingivitis and periodontitis impair your body's ability to utilize insulin, making diabetes harder to control. And because diabetes and periodontal disease may make you more susceptible to heart attack and stroke, having both conditions increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease

In the earliest stages, periodontal disease causes few signs or symptoms, and you may not be aware of a problem until your gums become soft and bleed slightly when you brush your teeth. As the disease progresses, you may notice more-serious changes, including:

• Swollen, bright red or purple gums
• Gums that feel tender when touched
• Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal
• New spaces developing between your teeth
• Pus between your teeth and gums
• Persistent breath odor or a bad taste in your mouth
• Loose teeth or a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite

Because several types of periodontitis exist, you may experience problems that are unique to a particular form of the disease. For instance, aggressive periodontitis, which affects otherwise healthy young people, causes an unusually rapid deterioration of their teeth and gums. The condition can also occur episodically, with periods of severe disease alternating with periods when signs and symptoms improve or even seem to disappear.

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Effects of Flouride in Children

Studies from the University of Indiana School of dentistry and the American Dental Association have concluded that adding flouride to drinking water will reduce tooth decay in children by up to 60%. The highest benefit goes to low income families because they are not as likely to go to the dentist for routine treatment.


Fluoride in water is a good topical for teeth. Fluoride is absorbed in our bodies from the water we drink and is incorporated into our saliva. Our saliva then gives our teeth a constant bath with fluoride. The fluoride hardens the enamel. this process is called re mineralization.

Adding fluoride to drinking water makes sense because children are very suceptive to tooth decay. Children tend to drink more juice, soda, candy, sweet cereals, and other sugary foods that foster tooth decay.Adding the fluoride to drinking water even saves money because adding fluoride costs pennies on the dollar to what it costs to fill a cavity. I wont mention how difficult it can be to get a child to sit through having a tooth drilled. Also consider how long we live these days compared to just fifty years ago.Think for a minute how much longer children will live in the future. You can see that staying on top of good oral health for children is a necessary step to keeping their teeth healthy for a lifetime.

However, too much of good thing is not good either.  The most common symptom of too much fluoride in children is a condition called fluoresces.  Fluoresces is a condition that causes pitting and discoloring of teeth.  The correction is nonlethal and it is a cosmetic problem that is easily treatable.  Over fluoridation in children can occur as a result of taking fluoride pills and drops incorrectly.  Only use under direction of your doctor or dentist. these treatments should be discontinued when water is fluoridated.
Fluoride is a natural mineral that we need for survival. We need it just like we need salt. If fluoride is added correctly and in the proper amount, it is a positive thing in our lives and makes us healthier and saves many dollars.

Tips for Healthier Gums

Do you see traces of blood as you rinse your teeth after brushing?  Do you think it is normal and not worthy of any further thought?  Well, think again.  You might already be suffering from gingivitis without even knowing it!


According to the American Dental Association, or ADA, three out of four adults suffer from gingivitis.  If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to gum disease, which is the leading cause of some serious dental problems and tooth loss in adults.

To prevent gingivitis and its eventual progression into a full-blown gum disease, it would be best to visit your dentist regularly.  Only the dentist can diagnose the problem and give you the necessary advice and treatments.  That, along with these simple suggestions, can give you a better fighting chance to ward off gum disease and enjoy better dental health forever!

Take the boredom out of brushing. Brushing and flossing are perhaps two of the most boring activities. It may just be the reason why people tend to spend less time doing it. To take the boredom out of brushing, why not try dry brushing (brushing without toothpaste)? This way you can brush your teeth and perform some other activities at the same time.

Avoid torturing your teeth!  Contrary to popular belief, using toothbrushes with hard bristles and applying undue pressure while brushing will not give you cleaner teeth. Instead, it will damage the teeth’s enamel and give your gums a hard time as well. So the next time you brush, use a toothbrush with soft bristles and please don’t push it too hard!

Get it thoroughly cleaned. It would be wiser to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth the next time you brush your teeth. It will increase the blood circulation around the tissues in your mouth and may help minimize the amount of bacteria present. If you are prone to tartar build-up, you might also want to try tartar control toothpaste. Just remember to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance or Recognition when shopping around for one.

Don’t forget to floss.  The food debris, which find their way through the tiny crevices between your teeth, can only be removed by flossing. This is why flossing is considered extremely important in maintaining good dental health. For best results, you should floss twice during the day. You may also want to try using waxed floss to make the task a lot easier.

See what baking soda can do for your teeth! Baking soda has mild abrasive properties that can aid in getting rid of plaque. It can also neutralize the acidity produced by bacterial wastes in the mouth, serve as an effective deodorizer and give your teeth a gleaming polish! For best results, mix baking soda with a small amount of water to make a paste and use it to brush your teeth, giving special attention to the gum line. Do this at least once or twice a week and see the difference!

Eat a more balanced diet - Studies prove that a poor diet may speed up the rate of gum disease and may also increase the severity of the condition. To avoid this, make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs to maintain optimal health.

Make dental visits a routine. Regular visits to your dentist may help you stay away from gum disease. So, please do your teeth and yourself a favor. Go visit your dentist regularly!

Vitamin C for Receding Gums

Most people who are treated for gum disease and receding gums rely on their dentist to instruct them on how to care for their dental health. This is certainly a good strategy and shouldn't be discouraged. However, supplying the body and mouth with the right vitamins for receding gums and as a treatment for periodontal disease can be a great supplement to what the dentist has already suggested. In particular, Vitamin C is a wonderful supplement to include in your daily routine.

Certain studies have shown that people with a deficiency in vitamin C are prone to more cases of gum disease and often have the disease at sped up rate. The reason this is believed to be true is that vitamin C is responsible in part for the production of collagen in the skin. That includes all skin tissue including the gums. Without the proper supply the body has a harder time regenerating the gum tissue. It's easy to see why Vitamin C is effective for treating receding gums.

In the gum disease fight and effort to increase your gum health through diet, dentists have a few key suggestions. Most dentists suggest trying to eliminate soft drinks or sodas from your diet. It doesn't matter if you only drink diet. All soft drinks include phosphorus and it is responsible for leaching calcium from your teeth. Sugar should also be limited. You know the reason for that one. Sugar often leads to tooth decay.

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Nutrition Fights Gum Disease

from Health Store News


90% of Americans will be affected by gum disease during their lifetime, and 25% will lose their teeth to periodontal disease by the age of 60. Warning signs include swollen, tender, bleeding gums. As periodontal disease progresses, chronic bad breath, loose shifting teeth, and puss between teeth and gums may occur. Gums begin to recede, and, eventually, teeth fall out.

How can we fight back against gum disease? According to most dentists, the first line of defense is proper dental hygiene. This includes brushing twice daily, flossing once a day, and getting a professional cleaning at least twice a year.

Proper nutrition is also vital to oral health. Gum disease typically begins as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and progresses to periodontal (inflammation of the periodontal ligaments). Nutrients that boost the immune system, help build collagen in the periodontal ligaments, and decrease inflammation can help battle gum disease.

CO ENZYME Q10: Nutrient for your Gums

As early as 1973, Drs. T. Matsumura and Karl Folkers performed a double blind trial of CoQ10 versus regular periodontal treatments for serious periodontal disease.

Twenty-four patients suffering from severe periodontal disease which had not responded to extensive flossing and brushing were studied. 13 subjects received 50 mg of CoQ, 11 received placeboes. Nine of the thirteen CoQ patients improved dramatically. Only 3 of 11 placebo recipients showed minor improvement.

In 4 of the CoQ patients, symptoms of the disease completely disappeared within 8 weeks. "The therapeutic improvement ... with CoQ was better both the number of improved patients and the degree of improvement," reported the doctors.

Further studies at the U.S. Air Force Medical Center showed that periodontal patients dramatically improved the depths of their "pockets" by taking 75mg of CoQ a day. Another study in Japan confirmed that 60 mg a day of CoQ10 could improve diseased gums.

How does it work? Apparently by boosting the immune system to help battle the bacteria which can cause gum disease.

ANTIOXIDANTS: Nature's dental floss

Spongy, bleeding gums are one of the early symptoms of scurvy -- the disease caused by Vitamin C deficiency. Although most Americans are not scorbutic, gums need exceptionally high concentrations of Vitamin C for optimum health. Recent studies suggest that even minor Vitamin C deficiencies may increase the risk of serious gum disease.

While mildly spongy and bleeding gums (gingivitis) may simply be the result of plaque, accumulation of plaque can lead to the formation of "pockets" which trap more plaque. This leads to more serious gum disease -- called periodontis or pyorrhea. Pyorrhea causes halitosis and slowly eats away at the bone in the jaw, leading to tooth loss.

By supplementing Vitamin C and other antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, inflammation of the gums, which causes these pockets, can be reduced. Vitamins A and E, bioflavonoids, selenium, and zinc are key antioxidants for nutritional support for the gums. Anti-inflammatory nutrients like bromelain, papain and glucosamine sulfate also help.

MINERALS PROTECT AGAINST BONE LOSS

Pyorrhea eats away at the jaw bone. This can lead to tooth loss. But according to James Balch, M.D., supplementing the diet with minerals, "helps prevent bone loss around the gums." Calcium and Magnesium are two key minerals, according to Dr. Balch.

"Prevention is the first line of defense against gum disease," says Eve McClure of vitamin manufacturer Quantum. "By supplementing the diet, flossing, brushing and visiting the dentist regularly, people can dramatically improve their oral health."

In the battle against gum disease it seems that there are several important weapons. One of these is proper nutrition. According to McClure, "No campaign against periodontal disease is complete without proper nutrition."

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