We’re in that time without a blizzard of advertisements about heading off or blunting the effects of colds and flu. That will all arrive again this fall and peak in the middle of winter. One of the biggest names you see is Vitamin C and so today I’ll write and remind you that you don’t have to think about it only during cold and flu season. Vitamin C can have an effect on your mouth. So, read on …
One of the biggest pluses for you mouth with Vitamin C is that can help protect against oral health problems. It is good for maintaining healthy gums and bone density and without those, your teeth won’t have a solid foundation and you’ll lose them.
Of course if you suffer periodontal problems, these issues can put you more at risk for cardiovascular issues and there is a growing body of evidence and ongoing research to more closely identify and quantify links between the two. At the same time, research has shown how Vitamin C can help you maintain good periodontal health – along with a proper regimen of daily brushing and flossing as well as your twice-yearly check-ups with a dentist.
So, here are a few links to information about Vitamin C and your oral health:
- The National Institutes of Health: Clinical evidence indicates that vitamin C functions in improving host defence mechanisms and is thereby implicated in preserving periodontal health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2676112
- From the tooth-care giant Colgate, here’s a link to a story on its website about how dietary Vitamin C can protect against oral cancer … http://tinyurl.com/gp6bpw4. From the story: “Participants with the highest dietary vitamin C intake had a 50 percent reduced risk of developing oral pre-cancer as compared to those with the lowest intake.”
- In a look back at the history of oral care and Vitamin C, you can find this article in a 1944 entry in the Journal of the American Dental Assocaition about Vitamin C and gingivitis (it notes that at the time Vitamin C’s “only known uses” were for scurvy”): http://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(44)19004-0/abstract … it’s obviously outdated today, but gives an interesting context from 70+ years ago.