{"id":123,"date":"2020-02-03T19:00:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-03T19:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/?p=123"},"modified":"2020-02-18T19:00:41","modified_gmt":"2020-02-18T19:00:41","slug":"dentist-foods-healthier-gums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/03\/dentist-foods-healthier-gums\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Eat and Drink for Healthier Gums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For some people, the month of February is all about flowers,\nchocolates, and planning the perfect date. But did you know that February is\nalso Gum\nDisease<\/a> Awareness Month? This observance was created to bring awareness to gum\ndisease, the most common bacterial infection in the United States. In fact, it\u2019s\nestimated to affect up to 85% of the population at some point in their lives. To\nattempt to prevent this disease, your dentist has decided to share this list of\nsteps you can take to promote healthier gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a reason your parents always told you to eat your\nfruits and veggies. They\u2019re chock full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients\nthat are essential for a healthy mouth and body. Chewing raw vegetables and\nfruits, especially crunchy ones, naturally scrubs your teeth clean, as it increases\nthe production of saliva, which rinses leftover food particles and acids out of\nyour mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With so many choices out there, you might be wondering which\nfruits and veggies are best for your oral health. The truth is that as long as\nyou eat a colorful variety, your body will receive most of the nutrients it\nneeds. Leafy greens like kale or spinach are excellent choices, as they contain\nvitamin C and calcium, which help to reduce gum inflammation, as well as\nstrengthen your teeth. Shiitake mushrooms are another great choice, since they\u2019re\nrich in lentinan, a compound that inhibits bacterial growth and fights plaque\nbuildup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduce Your Sugar Intake <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar, they create acid\nthat wears down your tooth enamel and causes cavities. Not only that, but high\nsugar intake increases the amount of plaque accumulation in your mouth. Bacteria\nin plaque can irritate your gums, causing inflammation that leads to gum\ndisease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A simple way to combat this is to choose sugar-free snacks. If\nyou elect to eat sugary treats, do so with your meals. Saliva production\nincreases at mealtimes, helping to wash away the excess sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drink Plenty of Water <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another way to reduce your sugar intake is to substitute a\nsugary drink for good old-fashioned water. Especially when it contains fluoride,\nwater is just about the best beverage for your dental health. Fluoridated water\nhelps fight cavities and strengthen your teeth. Water in general also promotes saliva\nflow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get Enough Dairy and Protein <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eggs, fish, milk, meat, and poultry are all rich in phosphorus,\nwhich strengthens your teeth and fights plaque accumulation. Additionally,\ndairy products like cheese and yogurt contain a special protein called casein\nthat neutralizes acids created by the bacteria in your mouth, preventing them\nfrom irritating your gum tissue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This February, celebrate Gum Disease Awareness Month in style\nby sticking to mouth-healthy foods. And, it never hurts to visit your dentist\nfor a cleaning too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Ukti\nPhadnis<\/a> is a dentist in Wethersfield, CT who earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine\ndegree from the University of Connecticut\u2019s School of Dental Medicine. She\nenjoys practicing all aspects of dentistry, including gum disease prevention\nand treatment. To learn more about how you can keep your gums healthy, visit Dr. Phadnis\u2019\nwebsite.<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For some people, the month of February is all about flowers, chocolates, and planning the perfect date. But did you know that February is also Gum Disease Awareness Month? This observance was created to bring awareness to gum disease, the most common bacterial infection in the United States. In fact, it\u2019s estimated to affect up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions\/125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wethersfielddentalgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}