541-754-9322 
Irritated, inflamed gums are unattractive and unhealthy for your smile. While your daily oral care habits help prevent gum disease, your diet can also give your gums the means to remain healthy and vibrant. Your gums give your teeth the support they need, keeps valuable bone material from deteriorating, and fights off harmful oral bacteria that creates gum disease. Let’s look at some foods you should include in your day to support healthy gums.
Leafy Greens: You can supply your gums with the vitamins and minerals they need and are found in kale and spinach. These two power-packed greens also provide your gums with vitamin C which boosts red blood cell production and lessens gum inflammation. Chewing these greens also stimulates saliva production, which helps your gums by removing oral bacteria, plaque, and food particles. You can also boost your vitamin C levels by eating citrus fruits and peppers (of all colors).
Dairy Protein: Calcium in dairy gives your gums a valuable supply of a protein called casein. Casein neutralizes oral acids which are created by the bacteria in the mouth. If this happens, the acids attack the gums and you end up with gum irritation and inflammation. You can add casein to your diet through yogurt, cheese, and milk.
Fresh Veggies: Crunching on apple slices, celery slices, and carrot sticks loosen harmful oral plaque lodged between the teeth and around the gumline. This loosening helps keep your mouth fresher in between brushing and flossing. Since these foods are loaded with fiber, you spend more time chewing them. As we noted above, chewing stimulates saliva production which keeps your gums from collecting bacteria around the gumline.
For healthy pink gums, maintain a balanced diet, brush, and floss daily, and see your dentist every six months for cleanings. Our Ryan D. Sparks, DMD team in Corvallis, Oregon is ready to schedule your next visit with Dr. Ryan D. Sparks. Just call 541-754-9322 today!