Low Dietary Calcium, Low Vitamin C Linked To Increased Risk Of Gum Disease

SOURCE OF CALCIUM: CLICK HERE

SOURCE OF VITAMIN C: CLICK HERE

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Here’s an interesting bit of research that comes from Nice, France. The relationship between gum disease and the need for calcium and vitamin C is quite apparent.

“Two studies by researchers in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine show that people with low levels of Vitamin C in their diets and those who had too little calcium as young adults, appear to have nearly twice the risk of developing periodontal disease later in life than people with higher dietary levels of either nutrient.”

These studies, according to Sara Grossi, DDS, director of the UB Periodontal Research Center, are key in promoting dental health, as they show that brushing isn’t the only issue in good teeth and gums. Diet plays a major role. Diet includes both foods we eat and the foods we fail to eat. In essence, if we do not eat the right foods (vitamin C and calcium foods included) , then we are causing deficiencies that begin to erode dental health.

Results of studies conveyed at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research were eye-opening to the dental industry, yet the outcomes have been suspected for decades by natural health care researchers such as dentist Weston Price, Bernard Jensen and others.

“Both studies used data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) I and III, carried out in 1971-75 and 1988-94 respectively. NHANES I involved 2,392 persons; 12,412 people were surveyed for NHANES III.

“Analysis of dietary calcium for both survey periods showed that women consumed less than the minimum recommended daily intake of 800 milligrams, the amount in four glasses of milk, while the average for men was slightly more than 800 mg.

“Comparison of calcium intake with periodontal disease, defined by the amount of gum detachment from underlying bone, showed that in the total study population, men and women who had low levels of the mineral in their diets were half again as likely to develop periodontal disease as those who met or exceeded the recommended dietary allowance for calcium.

“When only participants between the ages of 20 to 39 years were analysed, low calcium intake doubled the risk of periodontal disease.
‘This is a new piece of evidence,’ Grossi said. ‘We never knew people so young were at risk of gum disease and of losing bone around their teeth. It points out how important it is for children and teens to get enough calcium during those formative years to reach their peak bone mass in the jaw and everywhere else.

‘It really is true that calcium builds strong bones and teeth. If the underlying bone is not strong to start with, it will not be able to counter noxious agents, such as bacteria and substances in cigarette smoke, which attack bone, teeth and gums.’

And what of people who didn’t get enough vitamin C in their diet? Those with lowest amounts of vitamin C were at the highest risk of dental disease. Clear and simple. Even worse was the profile for smokers who failed to consume enough vitamin C foods. Researchers point to the fact that vitamin C is needed for maintaining and repairing connective tissue, which is vital for gum and tooth health. Antioxidants in fruits and berries are an integral part of this equation.
‘Vitamin C in the diet increases the ability of tissue to repair itself and fight invading bacteria and other toxins. We found a very strong association for all age groups, but the results were most pronounced in smokers. They experience more of an insult to the gum tissues, so they need higher levels of vitamin C to help counteract smoke’s toxins.’

Source: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/89b12.htm