If you are on a journey of looking after your teeth, you may be wondering what foods are the best for gum health.
Well, you’re in luck!
In this blog, our team of expert dental legal advisors share 15 of the best foods for gum health, to help prevent the early stages of gum disease and gingivitis.
If you have experienced dental negligence due to your periodontal disease, our experienced solicitors are here to listen and get you the compensation you deserve.
But hopefully with these 15 foods, your gum health will be in top condition!
What foods are good for gum health?
8 out of 10 people aged 35 and over suffer from gum issues, therefore taking care of your gums has never been more important.
Especially if we consider that reversing gum disease isn’t the most easy task!
So, let’s take a look at the best foods for gum health.
Leafy greens
Leafy greens are full of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and calcium that are essential to oral health as they strengthen gums and teeth alike.
Examples include:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Collard greens
Berries
More than half of the UK eats at least one portion of berries a day.
Not only does this help you reach one of your five a day but berries are a great food to support gum health.
They are rich in antioxidants that can fight off infections and reduce inflammation.
Onions
Onions may make you cry, but it won’t be due to bad gums!
They are packed with antibacterial properties that can fight nasty bacteria in the mouth.
These are just one of the many foods that can promote overall teeth health.
Unsweetened Yoghurt
Remember when you were younger and your parents told you to eat yoghurt as it’s full of calcium for strong bones?
Well, it’s not just bones they make stronger – teeth too!
Unsweetened yoghurt is also full of probiotics, which are good bacteria that can improve the health of your gums and teeth. If yoghurt contains sugar it should be eaten as part of a meal, as sugar causes dental decay.
Nuts and seeds
We all know how important nuts and seeds are to our health and gums are also included in this!
They are full of omega-3 fatty acids which can have numerous benefits to overall health.
However, it’s important to note that care should be taken when eating these foods, as they can have rough and pointy edges which could cause irritated gums.
Garlic
As the base of pretty much any main meal, garlic is an easy food to include to improve your gum health.
It is full of antibacterial properties and even includes allicin which has evidence of effectively fighting harmful mouth bacteria.
Fatty fish
When 1000 UK households were surveyed, 60% said they hadn’t eaten fish in the past week, 25% in the last 6 months, and 19% never eat it.
Fatty fish have high levels of fatty acids like omega-3s (who’d have thought it!).
Examples of fatty fish include:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Mackerel
- Sardine
- Trout
Cheese
Cheese – similarly to yoghurt – is packed with antibacterial enzymes that can coat the teeth to reduce bacteria in the mouth.
So, although it may give you bad dreams before bed, it won’t give you bad gums!
Sugar-free gum
This may seem counterintuitive but chewing gum (that is sugar-free) encourages the production of saliva.
This can wash away food particles and bacteria from gums and teeth to help prevent poor gum health.
Of course, it’s important to note that this must be sugar-free chewing gum to avoid any negative effects from the sugar.
Chicken
Chicken has coenzyme q10 (CoQ10) as well as collagen which are both vital to preventing the loss of gum tissue.
This is one of the first signs of gum disease so it’s important to recognise the signs.
Carrots
Carrots don’t just help you see in the dark!
The crunchy texture of a raw carrot can help clean your teeth by replicating the movements of a toothbrush.
Did you know that the chewing motion could also massage your gums and promote blood circulation?
Apples
Similarly to carrots, apples can also act as a natural toothbrush – but the effectiveness can vary depending on the type of apples you buy.
Apples also have far less acidity than oranges or other citrus fruits which is far better for your teeth.
Beef
Beef is packed with collagen making it one of the best foods for gum health.
Collagen is essential for the structure of your gums – in fact, without collagen, it wouldn’t exist!
Therefore, if you are wondering how to improve teeth health, collagen should be an essential part of your diet.
Peppers
Did you know that one red bell pepper provides 169% of the recommended daily vitamin C amount?
Adding peppers to your meals is an easy way to increase the amount of vitamin C in your diet.
Vitamin C can help keep the connective tissue between your gums healthy so it is essential!
Sweet potatoes
We’re ending on a high with this one!
Sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene – a vital nutrient that fights against gum disease by reducing inflammation and creating vitamin A.
Not only are they packed with beta carotene, they also have:
- Vitamin C
- Manganese
- Vitamin B6
Problems with your gum health? Reach out to our expert team
We hope this blog has shown you just what an essential role diet plays in the health of your gums and teeth.
And not just your oral health, but overall health too!
If you feel like you do have a case for dental negligence, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of experienced dentists and solicitors.
You can either call us on 0800 152 2038 or fill out our short contact form.