The Great American “Gums” Fight

It’s important to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Otherwise, you’ll open up a whole heap of trouble, including tooth decay, inflammation, and other serious health problems. Caring for them takes more than just regular brushing and flossing after meals. Follow these tips for the healthiest gums in town:

Stay away from tobacco. Smoking adds to tartar build-up on teeth and gums and hewing tobacco can lead to ulcers and sores in the mouth.

Get plenty of vitamin C. It repairs connective tissue and stimulates bone growth. Dark green vegetables and citrus fruits are excellent sources.

Don’t forget about D! Get plenty of sunshine, and include fish, eggs, and dairy foods, in your diet for a healthy dose of vitamin D.

Stop stressing. You would be surprised at how much constant fretting can increase the plaque build-up on your teeth. Calm yourself by finding an exercise routine that you enjoy, and do it regularly.

Eat plenty of cranberries. The sweet-tart gems are known to prevent gum disease by keeping plaque from sticking to the teeth.

For a quick and easy way to get cranberries in your diet, try whirling these ingredients in a blender with 2 or 3 ice cubes for a “good for the gums” cranberry smoothie:

• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 cup nonfat milk