If your gums are bleeding, you could be in the early stages of gingivitis, an inflammatory condition caused by a build-up of bacteria and plaque in the mouth. But study just published in Nutrition Reviews suggests that poor dental habits and oral bacteria may not be the only explanation for bleeding gums. Incredibly, a vitamin deficiency—vitamin C deficiency, to be exact—could be the culprit.
New research suggests that low levels of vitamin C in the blood may be the cause of this common oral health problem
The authors of the latest study, titled "Bleeding tendency and ascorbic acid (found in fruits and vegetables): a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials," evaluated 15 clinical trials from six countries, representing 1,140 people. The researchers also collected and analyzed data from more than 8,200 Americans from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Based on their analysis, the researchers concluded that people who experienced bleeding gums and even bleeding in the eye (retinal bleeding) were more likely to have low levels of vitamin C (not eating enough fruits such as pomegranate, kiwi, pineapples...) in the blood.
Furthermore, increasing your vitamin C intake seems to help reduce bleeding problems! The connection between gum health and vitamin C is not a new discovery. Swollen, bleeding and discolored gums are one of the most recognizable signs of scurvy, a potentially fatal disease caused by very low levels of vitamin C. But these new data suggest that “setting human [vitamin C] needs is based on preventing scurvy leads to plasma [vitamin C] levels that may be too low to prevent increased gingival bleeding tendency,” according to the study authors. In other words, just because we can get enough vitamin C to avoid scurvy doesn't necessarily mean we're getting enough vitamin C for optimal health.
How much of this vitamin do you need? Here's a quick example (and a sample shopping list)
If you experience bleeding gums (or if you ever notice that your saliva or toothpaste has a pink tint), it may be time to visit your dentist or doctor for a checkup. Bleeding gums are also a good reminder to improve your oral hygiene habits (eg brushing and flossing twice a day, avoiding refined sweets and drinks, apple cider vinegar, cigarettes, etc.). But you should also look at your diet and make sure you eat a lot of foods rich in vitamin C, along with a diet for stronger immunity you can order our complete vitamin C, you can read more about this product HERE. If low vitamin C levels are leading to bleeding gums, no amount of flossing and brushing will fully address the root cause of the gum problem.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount for a typical adult is between 65 and 90 milligrams (or up to 120 mg for breastfeeding mothers), while the upper limit is 2,000 mg per day. In addition to using supplements, you can easily reach the recommended amount by adding more of these foods to your diet:
Sweet red pepper (half a cup has 95 mg)
Strawberries (half a cup has 49 mg)
Grapefruit (half of one has 39 mg)
Kiwi (1 has 64 mg)
Brussels sprouts (half a cup has 48 mg)
By the way, in case you need another reason to quit smoking: The National Institutes of Health says research consistently shows that smokers have lower plasma levels of vitamin C due to the oxidative stress caused by smoking. For this reason, smokers should consume about 35 mg more than non-smokers (or better yet, quit smoking altogether).
Sources for this article include:
Washington.edu
StudyFinds.org
Academic.oup.com
NIH.gov
VIC.gov.au
