Healthy Gums and Heart: Let Your Food Work For You

Researchers are beginning to make a startling discovery regarding dental health. It seems that it isn’t just your pearly whites that can be affected when you skip that nighttime brushing or fail to schedule that next dentist visit. Did you know that it has been found that gum disease sufferers are two or three times as likely to contract heart disease? The leading killer in this country has a direct link to your mouth, so it might be time to pay more heed to the way you care for your teeth and gums.

The thought that gum health and whole-body health are interrelated is one that has been gaining great popularity in medical circles. Doctors in both fields have been publishing findings that link heart and gum disease, so patients know what they are risking by failing to keep their mouths free of decay and disease.

There are many ways to keep gums healthy, aside from the obvious brushing, flossing, and visits to the dental chair. For instance, eating more raisins has been shown to help because the dried fruits are chock full of bacteria battling antioxidants. They can beat away the harmful microorganisms, which lead to painful inflammation and gum disease. Green tea is also a powerful combatant, as it contains a special antioxidant called catechins. Finally, whole grains can reduce one’s chances of periodontal disease by nearly twenty-five percent. So, rather than reaching for the enriched white bread, you might opt for the whole grain or oat bread, and instead of the white rice, choose the brown. These whole foods break down and release sugars more slowly, which keeps the blood sugar at a more even level, and means reduced chance of gum and heart disease. The most important thing for mouth and heart health is to continue eating and drinking healthily.

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