Medical Questions » Mouth and Throat Questions » Question No. 1338
| Question: | My gums bleed a lot. Can diet help? |
| Answer: | Bleeding gums can be caused by many factors, but the classic reason is a deficiency in vitamin C, the extreme version of which is scurvy. Start by eating a healthy diet of fresh, unprocessed foods, minimising things that deplete your body of nutrients (such as smoking, sugar and alcohol) and taking lg of vitamin C three timesa day. Vitamin C works best in conjunction with substances called bioflavonoids, which are abundant in berry extracts and particularly important in strengthening capillaries, or small blood vessels. So look for a C/bioflavonoid blend. Some dentists also suggest 30mg of the naturally occurring compound CoQ10 to improve oxygen and nutrient supply to the gums. I also recommend a daily mouthwash to minimise any risk of infection. Make it up by diluting a few drops of teatree oil (available from healthfood shops and chemists) in a glass of water and gargling with this. |
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