Dentist in Fairhope

Home Remedies for Gums

Oil Pulling

Recently, the discussion has opened again into the possible health benefits of an ancient practice known as oil pulling.  Oil pulling involves swishing oil in your mouth for a short period of time to treat certain conditions like migraines and diabetes.  But there are some who even use it to help with bleeding gums.

According to the ADA (American Dental Association), there isn’t enough evidence to support oil pulling to treat gingivitis. There are, however, a handful of studies that show the benefits.

The oil of choice for many to do oil pulling is an edible oil like sesame, olive, coconut, or sunflower.  Swishing time ranges from 1 to 20 minutes.  Make sure to speak to your dentist before trying it!

Dairy and Crunchy Foods

All milk products contain calcium.  Calcium is a nutrient that will help strengthen the teeth.  There is a 2008 study available in the Journal of Periodontology found that people who eat dairy products regularly like milk, cheese, and yogurt battled less with gum disease. Alabama Fairhope Dentist

Eating something like carrots or celery can also help, too.  It really is the “crunch factor” that works instead of the nutrients they contain. Crunchy foods can help remove plaque from the teeth but there is no specific research on how the vitamin A in carrots can help with gum disease.

When you are chewing, the mouth will produce more saliva.  The saliva washes away food particles and acids that cause much damage.  Most veggies are low in sugar and high in water/fiber content.  This helps clean the teeth!   Alabama Fairhope Dentist

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