Monday, December 17, 2012

Your Mouth, Your Health

 
Your oral health can be an indicator of vitamin or mineral deficiency. When your body's not getting proper nutrition, symptoms often manifest on the tongue, gums and teeth. Very often, when something flares up, loosens or simply looks different within your mouth, it's your body's way of asking for some type of nutrient it doesn't have enough of. Learn about the different oral health flare-ups with the vitamin and mineral commonly attributed to them. Adjust your diet, and most of the time, they will go away on their own.
 

 

Inflamed gum tissue

Deficient: Magnesium
Inadequate intake of magnesium in your diet can lead to gum inflammation. If you have been taking care of your gums by proper brushing and flossing, the gingivitis may be caused by magnesium deficiency in your diet. Up your magnesium intake with cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, spinach, artichokes, broccoli and green beans.

Loose teeth, premature tooth loss, bleeding gums

Deficient: Calcium
Calcium is required for building strong bones as well as healthy teeth. To increase your calcium intake, consume more calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines and tofu.
 
 
 

Sore tongue that may have fissures, cracks and sores at mouth edges

Deficient: Vitamin B
Since deficiency in vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 and B12 produce the similar symptoms of cracked and sore tongue and at the mouth edges, it is difficult to figure out if you are deficient in just one or more than one of these vitamins. Hence, it will be helpful to take multi-vitamin B supplements. Also, do include vitamin B-rich sources such as chicken meat, eggs, shellfish and milk in your diet.
 
 
 

Bleeding gums, yeast infections, lowered immune response, impaired taste

Deficient: Vitamin C or A
Deficiency in vitamin C can cause the gums to bleed and the body's immune system to weaken, leading to infections such as yeast infection of the mouth and common cold. Eat more spinach, broccoli, red peppers, papaya, mango, kiwi, kale and other green leafy vegetables.
 
 
 

Loss of taste, dry mouth, loss of sensation in tongue, gum disease

Deficient: Zinc
These are side-effects commonly associated with prolonged years of heavy smoking. However, if you are a non-smoker and you experience these symptoms, you may have a dietary deficiency of the mineral zinc. Eat more spinach, green peas, lean beef, Swiss cheese.

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