You have likely heard the phrase: “you are what you eat.” The foods and drinks you consume can play a major role in your overall well-being. This proves true for the health of your gums too.
If you include certain foods in your diet, you can help your gums fight periodontal disease, an infection of the gum tissue that can cause severe damage to your smile, including tooth loss. Prevent gum disease and keep your smile looking and feeling its best when you know which foods can improve oral health. Read on to find four food items that can help your gums stay healthy.
Which Foods Will Encourage Healthy Gums?
Apples
An apple a day famously keeps a doctor away, but eating apples will please your dentist and periodontist too. Apples can satisfy your sweet tooth without overindulging in sugar. You can lower your risk of forming tooth decay by steering clear of added sugar.
But apples offer more dental benefits too. Its crunchy exterior can keep your smile clean, scraping away plaque and other harmful residues as you eat this fruit. This can help you reduce bacteria that might otherwise infect your gums and give you gum disease.
Yogurt
Dairy products like yogurt will contain high amounts of calcium, a mineral that can help to strengthen your tooth enamel. Your teeth can better fight decay and other problems with this fortification.
Yogurt in particular also has probiotics, which work to balance the amounts of natural bacteria in your body, including in your mouth. With less excess bacteria in your mouth, you will be less likely to suffer from oral infections like gum disease.
You will require dental intervention to treat gum disease before it can cause serious dental problems. So ideally, you should take preventative measures when it comes to your periodontal health.
Salmon
Salmon and other oily fish have a great amount of omega-3s, types of essential fats that are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. Oral infections like gum disease can cause inflammation in the gum tissue which can also link to the body’s inflammatory response. You can suffer further overall health complications from this.
Anti-inflammatory food items like salmon can bring relief to patients with gum disease. They can alleviate uncomfortable symptoms and prevent them from worsening. You will still need periodontal therapy from your dentist to get rid of this infection for good.
Water
Some people might argue that water does not count as food, but it can be highly beneficial for your teeth and your gums. Drinking water keeps you hydrated, and if you become dehydrated, you might suffer from dry mouth. Not only will dry mouth feel uncomfortable, but the dry environment allows bacteria to spread with greater ease through the mouth.
You can have a higher risk of oral infections like gum disease in these cases. Fight dry mouth and protect your gums by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day.