Ask the Dental Experts

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Vitamin C Helps Stop Gums From Bleeding

Vitamin C Helps Keep Your Gums Healthy

Vitamin C can help you if you suffer from bleeding gums. Studies have recently shown that people who get less than 60 milligrams of Vitamin C per day are more 150 percent more likely to develop gum disease.

If you do not get enough Vitamin C, your gums become irritated, red, and start bleeding whenever time you brush or floss your teeth. This is a sign of gingivitis, a condition caused by plaque that accumulates on your teeth. Plaque provides bacteria with a breeding ground. These bacteria attack tooth enamel and infects gum tissue. Whenever gums are infected by bacteria, they recede and form tiny pockets where more bacteria breed. This infection spreads if it is not treated. It can even reach all the way down to the roots of your teeth and to bones, causing irreversible damage as a result. This stage of gum disease is called Periodontitis, and it is the number one cause of tooth loss in American adults.

So how exactly can increased vitamin c help stop gums from bleeding? The answer lies in how vitamin c actually helps the human body. This important substance is a key element to strong bones and blood vessels. It is actually essential to anchoring your teeth to the gums themselves. When you do not get enough vitamin c, the bond between your teeth and gums is weakened, and the blood vessels themselves are more prone to rupture and bleeding.

Increasing your Vitamin C intake reverses deterioration of gum tissues and stop gingivitis in its tracks. It increases production of collagen, which is the protein that the body uses as the building blocks of all fibrous tissues such as gums. Weak tissue will become strong again, and the gum lining will be better able to resist infection by bacteria.

The best way to increase your collagen production is to begin eating foods that are rich in Vitamin C. Please understand that any fruits or vegetables begin to lose their Vitamin C content as soon as they are exposed to oxygen. Eat them as soon as you cut them open to receive the maximum benefits they provide.

Red chili peppers
Red and green sweet peppers
Broccoli, red cabbage and cauliflower
Strawberries and raspberries
Green onions
Oysters
Soybeans
Cantaloupe and honeydew
Tomatoes
Peas

You can also take supplements to ensure that you have the amount of Vitamin C you need to keep your gums healthy. Doctors recommend 1,000-2,000 milligrams per day in time-released capsules. As dentists, we also recommend taht you avoid chewable tablets because these contain sugar which is obviously not good for your tooth enamel. If you smoke, you need to add at least 35 milligrams to the normal supplemental because smoking diminishes Vitamin C in the blood stream.

Labels: calcium supplements, Gum Disease, healthy foods, vitamin c

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Calcium for Teeth and Bones

Calcium is a mineral that is very essential for the health of your teeth. It lessens the likelihood of periodontal disease in older women by strengthening bone density and reducing the possibility of gum tissue becoming infected. Calcium is equally good for the teeth of the very young. Babies actually start forming teeth before they are born, so pregnant women are encouraged to eat a high calcium diet in order to give their children a head start on good dental health.

This mineral is actually necessary to every cell in the body and used in practically every bodily function as well. Calcium is vital to nerve impulses, heartbeat, blood clotting, and muscle contraction.

Although calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body (because bones are formed from it), few Americans get enough calcium in their diet. They are largely unaware of calcium deficiencies in their bodies until they are much older and develop and conditions like gum disease and osteoporosis.

Research has shown that every adult should get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day for the continued health of their teeth, gums, bones, and general physical constitution.

The most obvious way a person can get the calcium they need for their teeth and bones is by eating calcium-rich foods like dairy products, green, leafy vegetables, tofu, salmon with edible bones, and even sardines in a can.

Another way is to take any number of calcium supplements that are available over the counter. Different types of supplements exist in different forms at varying price points.

· Calcium carbonate is the least supplement for teeth and bones, and it also happens to be the most concentrated.
· Calcium citrate is the supplement that the stomach can most easily digest, and is the safest for people who are older or for persons with stomach ulcers.
· Calcium lactate is the least concentrated supplement. It is rapidly absorbed, however, and because of this, is also the most expensive.
· Coral calcium supplements have become famous due to TV advertising. They are a source of naturally occurring calcium that has been demonstrated to be exceptionally beneficial to the health of teeth and bones.

Magnesium and Vitamin D help the body process calcium. When there is a 2-1 relationship between calcium and magnesium, absorption of calcium occurs much more quickly. Vitamin D also assists in absorption, which is why it is added to milk. Children often meet their daily requirements by taking chewable tablets which are easier for them to swallow and digest.

When taking calcium for teeth and bone health, it is good to skip a dose every now and then. Studies indicate that the body has a strange tendency to keep absorption rates at a higher level, as if it were anticipating the next dose.

Check with your doctor or dentist first before taking supplements to make sure they are right for your particular situation.

Labels: calcium for teeth, calcium rich foods, calcium supplements