Natural remedies for gum disease

Periodontal disease or gum disease can be a painful and distressing condition. The earliest symptom of this disease is gingivitis or bleeding of the gums.  If left neglected, the bleeding can eventually result in gum recession that can expose the tooth roots and make them extremely sensitive to temperatures.

You will need dental treatment to treat your gum disease, but in the meantime, you can use herbal and home remedies to treat the bleeding yourself.

Cranberry juice has been proven to be effective in reducing gum bleeding.  Make sure that the juice has no added sugar, and drink at least four ounces a day to eliminate decay-causing bacteria from your mouth. Make sure you consult with your doctor before drinking cranberry juice because it is not advisable to drink it under certain health conditions. For instance, persons with kidney stones or those who are taking the blood thinner warfarin, should avoid cranberry juice.

Adding green tea and fresh ginger to your regular diet is also a very healthy way of dealing with gum disease. A few cups of green tea can be quite soothing on an inflamed gum. Chewing small pieces of fresh ginger not only heals the gum, but also prevents further gum disease.
Gum disease is caused by bacteria in your mouth, and so you must focus on ridding your mouth of bacteria.   A good way to do that is using baking soda. Apply a paste of baking soda on the troublesome section in your gums. Apply the paste on your gum line with your finger, and rub the area slowly as you apply it. Rub one section at a time, and rinse your mouth before you move to another section.
Tea tree oil toothpaste can also help, but tea tree oil by itself may not be as effective.

Apply a few drops of clove oil to take care of the tingling and the itchy feeling you get with bleeding gums.  If you can stand it, chew on a clove too.

Periodontal studies have shown that a higher intake of Vitamin C reduces the chances of a gum disease. Eat lime, broccoli, strawberry, grapefruit, red pepper, oranges, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya and Brussels sprouts, as all of these are rich in Vitamin C. if you aren’t too keen on fruits and veggies, take a capsule of Vitamin C everyday. Avoid chewable Vitamin C tablets, however, because these can release too many acids that can actually damage your teeth and gums. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps repair connective tissue, and also plays a role in the bone regeneration.

Vitamin D too can prevent and treat gum disease.  It offers a protective shield against gingivitis and bleeding gums.  Take a multi vitamin capsule that contains at least 200 IU of this vitamin to get your daily quota.

Toothpaste containing coenzyme q10 is also beneficial in preventing and treating gum disease. This is an antioxidant that’s naturally present in the body, and is also available in supplement form and in toothpastes and gels. It works by repairing gum tissue thus preventing inflammation.