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Gingivitis / Periodontal Disease
By Dr. Jonathan V. Wright
If you have gingivitis or periodontal disease, of course, you should be working with your dentist and following his or her instructions. Dentists recommendations usually include careful cleansing, flossing, and for more serious conditions, antibiotics, other medications, and even surgical procedures. In addition, there are a few nutrients which can be of additional help.
The gums (and in fact all the surface tissues of the oral cavity) use relatively large quantities of folic acid to stay healthy. This B-vitamin is found in fresh green leafy vegetables and brewer's yeast, but unfortunately it breaks down very rapidly. Folic acid deficiency is the very most common vitamin deficiency, so supplemental amounts are often necessary. Despite its's lack of toxicity, the largest folic acid supplements available in natural food stores are 800 micrograms, so several tablets daily are usually necessary. Many natural food stores have folic acid "mouthwash" preparations. These are additionally useful as the folic acid can "soak in" directly to the oral tissues.
For gum problems, I usually recommend taking 5000 to 10,000 micrograms (that's 5 to 10 milligrams) of folic acid daily, to start, tapering down as conditions improve. Whenever you take folic acid, make sure to take vitamin B12, too, 1000 to 2000 micrograms daily.
Vitamin C powder in a buffered form, such as calcium ascorbate, can also help the healing process for the gums. I usually recommend brushing it into the gums gently once or twice daily, depending on the severity of the problem. Another buffered form of vitamin C, sodium ascorbate, can be mixed in with the often-recommended salt and sodium bicarbonate powder and brushed into the gums instead of the calcium ascorbate.
In Japan, over half the dentists recommend supplements of Co-enzymes Q10, for periodontal and gum disease, Co-enzyme Ql0 is a metabolic found in every cell in our bodies. I usually recommend 30 to 90 milligrams daily to help Periodontal disease or gingivitis. More would be helpful and quite safe, but Co-enzyine Q10 is a bit more expensive than many other supplements.
Whenever we use individual nutritional supplements, its wisest to take a general multiple vitamin-mineral supplement also.
Because of differences in age, sex, metabolisrn, or potential allergy, these diet and supplement therapies may not be suitable for you. Consult a health care professional skilled in nutritional and natural therapies. To locate one near you, you might call the American College of Advancement in Medicine at 800-532-3688 or the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians at 206-323-7610.
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