Your diet is a primary determinant of your health, especially your gum health. Visiting your dentist twice a year and brushing and flossing regularly creates a good foundation for your oral health. However, you can make small healthy choices in your daily life that add up in the long run. Moderate your intake of sweet and acidic foods and drinks that can damage your teeth and gums. Eat a balanced diet and make sure to include mouth healthy foods. You may be surprised to learn that foods that boost your gum health are very accessible and affordable. Here are three foods that are good for your gum health.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, mangoes, and clementines are loaded with vitamin C. As you may know, vitamin C has been linked with boosting your immune system. Vitamin C is also very beneficial for your gum health. In a recent study, patients who did not consume enough vitamin C showed greater vulnerability to periodontitis, whereas those with a higher concentration of vitamin C in their diet tended to have lower incidences of gum disease. If you are not a fan of fruit, you can also get your recommended dose of vitamin C by eating red bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

Cranberries

Cranberries have the potential to be a game changer when it comes to periodontal disease. Recent research suggests that the polyphenols in cranberries keep bad bacteria from sticking to your teeth and gums. This has implications for lowering your incidence of gum disease. Cranberry juice has been shown to be particularly effective at conferring these health benefits. Choose a low-sugar cranberry juice and try to avoid highly sweetened cranberry cocktails that are made of syrups and substitutes instead of real cranberry juice. You may also want to try eating dried cranberries.

Green tea

The American Academy of Periodontology posits that green tea is good for your gums. Catechin is an antioxidant that decreases inflammation throughout the body and it is thought to be the mechanism behind green tea's oral benefits. Patients in the study who drank green tea reported less inflammation of gum tissue and less bleeding while brushing their teeth, as opposed to the group who did not consume green tea. The group that did not drink green tea was more likely to suffer from the symptoms of gingivitis, such as gum discomfort and loss of tissue depth.  

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