Posted on 7/23/2020 by Amir Sanjabi, DDS
Some foods can be delightful to taste but they fuel bacteria that cause gum recession and other oral problems. Receding gum is caused when bacteria eat away at the gums, causing them to shrink and expose more surfaces of the teeth. Eventually, the roots of your teeth can become exposed, giving rise to tooth sensitivity, worsening bacterial infection, and ultimately tooth loss.
While poor oral hygiene is the leading cause of gum recession, certain foods can cause the condition to worsen quickly. In the same vein, certain foods can also help empower your gums to fight off harmful bacteria that cause gum recession.
Foods That Hurt Gum Recession
Microbes thrive in an acidic environment, hence, acidic foods can fuel gum recession. You need to minimize your intake of acidic foods like black coffee, pickled veggies and citrus if you’re grappling with gum recession.
Sweet foods are also bad for receding gums. Foods like white bread, candies, desserts, and even fruit juices are usually loaded with sugar and can exacerbate gum disease. You also need to avoid cold or hot foods and drinks if you’re battling gum recession. That’s because the exposed surfaces of your teeth are highly sensitive to temperature and you could trigger intense episodes of toothache if you swallow anything too hot or too cold.
Foods That Heal Receding Gums
While it’s important to avoid certain foods in your fight against gum recession, you also need to consciously incorporate some mouth-friendly foods into your diet. You need an adequate supply of essential nutrients in your body, including proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies. You can achieve this by eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals like apples, leafy greens, berries, carrots, as well as foods rich in calcium and protein like meat, spinach, tofu, grains, beans, etc.
However, including or excluding certain types of food in your diet is only one battle won in a full-blown war. You need to tackle your receding gums on all fronts, from the inside out, with the right measures. Call us today and let our expert restore your receding gums using holistic, well-rounded restoration procedures.