Complement preventive treatment against periodontal diseases by including oily fish, red fruits or yogurt in your diet. Good daily oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist are the minimum care to prevent periodontal (gum) diseases.
But this preventive treatment can improve if we include in our diet a series of foods that are healthy for the gums thanks to their high content in antioxidants or vitamins.
At Clínica Cervera we highlight five for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory capabilities.
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Foods rich in omega 3 such as walnuts or oily fish (herring, tuna, salmon, sardines, anchovies…).
Our body is not capable of producing these fatty acids capable of reducing inflammation levels on its own, which is why it is so important to include them in our diet.
Oily fish, especially salmon, is also rich in vitamin D, which facilitates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, making our gums more resistant to infections.
Several studies suggest that symptoms of periodontal disease improve after increased consumption of these fatty fish.
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Red fruits and other foods with vitamin C Blueberries are known as the “superfruit”.
It is one of the fruits that contains the most antioxidant polyphenols and, according to research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, this substance helps fight against the bacteria that cause periodontitis, specifically against ‘Fusobacterium nucleatum’.
All red fruits (raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, apart from the aforementioned blueberries) are foods rich in vitamin C, which creates an inhospitable environment for bacterial growth.
This vitamin also helps maintain the collagen in our gums, making them stronger and, therefore, more resistant to periodontal disease.
In this sense, kiwi, which contains the most vitamin C, or citrus fruits and grapes are also healthy foods for the gums, although their acidity can erode enamel and make our teeth more susceptible to cavities and dental hypersensitivity.
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Green tea contains catechins, antioxidants that prevent bacteria from adhering to our teeth and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Therefore, it reduces the risk of gum disease, as well as cardiovascular diseases.
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Tomato It is a food rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
According to the British Journal of Nutrition, daily intake of a 330 milliliter glass of tomato juice for 20 days reduces levels of certain inflammatory compounds.
In addition, it has a high content of vitamin C, the effects against bacterial growth of which we have already explained.
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Natural yogurt This is a probiotic product.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics contain live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate quantities, exert a beneficial effect on health.
The benefit for our mouth is that it enhances the defenses of the gums against those bacteria that cause their inflammation, causing gingivitis or periodontitis (“pyorrhea”).