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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