Five Fantastic Foods For Healthy Gums

14 October 2022

As well as our teeth, we need to look after our gums

healthy-teeth-and-gums

If we neglect our gums, they can become, sore, irritated and even infected (nasty, we know!). That’s why we need to care for our teeth as well as our gums. It’s actually pretty easy! One of the easiest ways to take care of your gums is to make sure you’re eating the right things.

We’ve picked out our top five foods that you should increase your intake of for super healthy gums…

Green tea

Love it or hate it, it’s good for our gums. Research shows that this antioxidant-rich tea can help stave off inflammation in the body.

green-tea-for-gums

Green tea has specific antioxidants called catechins which help gums fight inflammation caused by the one of the types of oral bacteria responsible for gum disease. Try drinking a cup of green tea daily to give your gums a healthy boost. Another bonus of green tea is that it won’t stain your teeth nearly as badly as your daily coffee or a black tea would. If you struggle with the taste, try adding some fresh berries to infuse with your tea, or even some mint leaves for a fresh breath!

Celery

Celery is incredibly good for your teeth. It stimulates saliva production, which is vital for beating bacteria and bad breath. Crunching down on a few celery sticks a day can help to clean in between the crevices of your teeth, reaching the places that a toothbrush cant.

celery-good-for-gums

Crunchy veg is really high in fibre, which means they take longer to chew and generate more saliva like we said. Saliva is great for flushing the mouth of bacteria near the gum line. Simply add these foods to your daily diet as snacks to help get rid of food particles between meals.

Onions

Okay so it might not be great on the breath front, BUT onions are great for our gums. Onions have been proven to be a fantastic food for healthy gums because they neutralise oral bacteria.

onions-for-gums

They have microbial properties that target the most common types of bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities. Luckily, onions are pretty versatile and go great in salads, sandwiches, soups and stews!

Probiotics

We’re not talking about Actimels or Yakults. We’re talking kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

sauerkraut-for-gums

These natural probiotics support the good bacteria in your mouth and reduce gingivitis and plaque buildup. Fermented foods are also thought to suppress the growth of oral pathogens. What’s more is that sauerkraut and kimchi are great in curries, stir fry dishes and sandwiches.

Cheese

Of course we had to throw in one of our favourites. As if we needed another excuse to eat more cheese.

cheese-good-for-gums

This dairy product has been shown to boost dental health and restore enamel thanks to its high levels of calcium and protein. However, try to stick with natural cheese as processed cheese products like cheese dips, strings, and cheese in a can, can increase your chance of cavities.

So there you have it, 5 foods that will keep your gums in good shape.

Find a dentist near you

Do you think you may have gum disease? If you are worried in any way about your gums speak to a dentist. Simply click the link below and type in your location. Choose the advanced search and click ’Gum Disease’. This will give you a list of dentists near you who can give you good advice.