Do The Foods You Eat Impact How Much Your Gums Recede?

The foods you eat play a big role in how your body functions and it is no different for your oral cavity. Food can affect the speed at which gums recede and it is important to be mindful of what you eat if you have already begun to experience receding gums.

What Causes Gums To Recede?

Before understanding the foods you should eat in moderation to slow gum recession, it is important to understand why gums receded in the first place. Gum recession can occur for a multitude of reasons, however, the most common reason for gum recession is gum disease. Gum disease starts as bacterial buildup on the teeth and eventually hardens and turns into plaque. This bacteria slowly eats away at the teeth and gums causing the teeth to deteriorate and the gums to recede.

What Foods To Avoid?

Now that you know what causes the gums to recede, it will be easier to understand why some foods should only be eaten in moderation. The first foods are sugary foods. Of course, it is okay to treat yourself to an ice cream or candy bar every once in a while, but these foods are full of sugar which the plaque forming bacteria love to eat. If the teeth are constantly exposed to sugar, bacteria will grow more quickly increasing the risk of gum recession. For the same reason, you should eat dried fruit in moderation.

Drinks can also be detrimental to oral health. We all know soda can stain the teeth, but the caffeine in many beverages like soda, coffee, and tea can be harmful and lead to gum recession. On the surface, caffeine is not that dangerous to oral health, but it does have the possibility to cause dry mouth. Dry mouths are a great environment for bacteria to grow, and so it could be dangerous to partake in these beverages throughout the day.

If you have any more questions about how food can affect your oral health, please call us at our office. We will be happy to discuss it with you, and maybe you can schedule an appointment for a teeth cleaning while you’re at it!