Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (78 page)

Nutrition plays a critical role in dental health. One recent study looked at gingivitis, plaque adhesion, and calculus deposit with regard to the eating habits of teenagers. They concluded that teenagers with diets adequate in nutrients had better oral health than teenagers with diets that contained fewer nutrients.

Teeth are made of bone material and need the same nutrients for rebuilding as other bones. It has long been considered that receding and inflamed gums were a sign that people brushed too hard, causing damage to the gums, but new theories propose that gums recede because bone throughout the body, including the teeth, is demineralizing. If other bones need 19 nutrients to remineralize, the same goes for teeth. Calcium alone cannot reverse the problem. Stress and fast-paced living can cause bone loss by making the body more acidic. To compensate, the body takes alkaline
materials from bones and teeth. Read and follow the section on acid-alkaline balance in
Chapter 17
.

Vitamin C deficiency causes bleeding gums and loose teeth and contributes to gingivitis. Bleeding gums is one symptom of scurvy, a vitamin-C-deficiency disease. We rarely see outright scurvy in our population, but we often see people with bleeding gums. Vitamin C is also important for bone formation and collagen synthesis and is essential for gum repair. Vitamin A is also necessary for collagen synthesis and formation of gum tissue.

Other researchers look to zinc deficiency or a low zinc-to-copper ratio as the culprit in gum disease. Zinc is integral to maintenance and repair of gum tissue, inhibits plaque formation, and reduces inflammation by inhibiting mast cell release of histamine. It also plays a role in immune function.

Vitamin E has been used clinically for periodontal disease. Bacterial plaque, long known to be a culprit in tooth decay and gingivitis, produces compounds that weaken and irritate the gum tissue. They include endotoxins and exotoxins, free radicals, connective tissue–destroying enzymes, white blood cell poisons, antigens, and waste products.

Antioxidant nutrients and CoQ10 have been associated with improved gum health, reduced periodontal pocket depth, and decreased tooth movement. Bioflavonoids make the tissues stronger, reduce inflammation, and cross-link with collagen fibers, making them stronger. Because bioflavonoids work synergistically with vitamin C, bleeding gums often respond to vitamin C and bioflavonoid supplementation. My favorite bioflavonoid is quercetin.

Folic acid, a B-complex vitamin, is important for maintenance and repair of mucous membranes. The need for extra folic acid was first noted for pregnant women, while subsequent studies have shown that it plays an important role for gingival health in all people.

When I interviewed John Cannell, M.D., of the Vitamin D Foundation, he mentioned that taking vitamin D strengthened his gums. There’s no published research on this, but it’s worth getting your vitamin D level checked.

Brush your teeth twice daily.
Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. Your dentist may also recommend some sort of oral wash that is used with an oral irrigator. It may have hydrogen peroxide, peppermint, or other herbs in it.

Make dietary changes.
Focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Foods rich in flavonoids are beneficial: blueberries, blackberries, and purple grapes.

Take a multivitamin with minerals.
Because you are depleted in many nutrients, arm yourself with an excellent multivitamin with minerals. Because minerals are bulky, you’ll probably take anywhere from two to nine pills daily. In the introduction to
Part IV
, you’ll find my recommendations on what to look for in a multi-vitamin with minerals.

Try coenzyme Q10.
Take 75 to 200 mg daily for a trial period of three months.

Take antioxidants.
Vitamins C and E, selenium, glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), beta-carotene, and other antioxidant nutrients are depleted in diseased gum tissues. Supplementation can facilitate repair. For ease of use, purchase an antioxidant supplement. Use as directed for three months.

Take vitamin C.
Try 500 to 1,000 mg one to three times daily. For maximum benefits, use until your tissues are saturated. See
Chapter 18
for information on a vitamin C flush.

Try bioflavonoids.
Use quercetin, bilberry (blueberry), grape seed extract, or Pycnogenol for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Try myrrh.
Myrrh has been used since biblical times. It has soothing and antiseptic properties for mucous membranes.

Use a folic acid mouthwash.
Use of a 0.1 percent folic acid mouthwash can be quite effective. Be sure to have your blood tested for pernicious anemia first, because folate supplementation can cause nerve damage in people with vitamin B
₁₂
deficiencies.

Try fish oil capsules.
In a controlled placebo trial, it was found that MaxEPA fish oil capsules significantly reduced gingival bleeding and reduced inflammatory factors. Take 2 to 4 g EPA/DHA daily.