The quality of your health depends upon many pieces that not only include the health of your bodily systems, but also include a healthy diet, exercise, and spirituality.

Diet. Treatment of periodontal disease may center on developing general healthy dietary guidelines, in addition to making some key adjustments in your relationship with food.

Dietary recommendations for periodontal disease include:

• Eat foods rich in vitamin C, like grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. One study found that people who ate less than the RDA for vitamin C were one and a half times more likely to develop gingitivis.¹⁶
• Choose high-quality, organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free “grass-fed” meats.
• Increase your omega-3 essential fatty acids by selecting high-quality wild-caught salmon, minimal-mercury albacore tuna, fish oil, avocados, and sprouted walnuts.
• Eat raw, organic vegetables.
• Add high-quality fiber to your diet, such as ground flax seed.
• Add healthy saturated fats to your diet, such as organic virgin coconut oil.
• Choose sprouted, whole-grain products.
• Add nutrient-dense and unprocessed foods such as sprouted nuts and seeds to your diet.
• Eat limited fruits and fruit juices.
• Choose organic, cage-free eggs.
• Choose dairy items that have live, active cultures (probiotics), such as yogurt and kefir. It has been shown that regular consumption of yogurt can eliminate bad breath.
• Drink purified water throughout the day.

Foods to AVOID include:

• All simple or refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice, white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, processed snack foods, etc.) – Read more about good carbs and bad carbs. 
• All foods containing refined sugar or artificial sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda^®, etc. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead.
• Alcoholic beverages in excess since they hinder the functioning of the immune and digestive systems – A compromised immune system can lead to periodontal disease, because the body is not fully able to fight off bacteria in the mouth.
• Sweetened fruit juices, and candy – Sugary foods and drinks can accelerate tooth decay.
• Carbonated soft drinks that cause blood pH levels to become acidic – Mouth acidity can accelerate tooth decay.
• Bottom crawlers, such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
• Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.  
• Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead.  
• Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer
• Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils found in many processed foods, deep-fried foods, fast foods, and junk food – Read more about good fats and bad fats.
• Excessive caffeine intake – Moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial. However, for people who are diabetic, caffeine can actually aggravate dry mouth symptoms, where the mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to protect teeth from decay. The proper amount of saliva is essential for healthy teeth.¹⁷

Other tips to help fight/prevent periodontal disease:

• Brush your teeth twice a day.
• Don’t over-brush and use a soft-bristle toothbrush to avoid injuring gums.
• Floss everyday.
• Visit the dentist routinely for a check-up and professional cleaning.
• Eat a well-balanced diet.
• Don't use tobacco products – Smokers lose more teeth than non-smokers. Smokers also tend to suffer more from the following problems: oral cancer, bad breath, stained teeth, tooth loss, bone loss, loss of taste, less success with periodontal treatment, less success with dental implants, gum recession, mouth sores, and facial wrinkling.¹⁸
• If you have “silver” dental fillings, get an evaluation from a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings. Mercury in the mouth reacts with bacteria, causing the toxin to become even more potent and damaging to gum tissue.¹³ Find a mercury-free dentist in your area now!
  

Exercise. Regular exercise improves general health, promotes healthy immune, cardiovascular, and digestive functioning, and is a potent tool for reducing inflammation. In fact, it may be one of the major mechanisms by which exercise prevents illness and prolongs life.

Additional Information about Periodontal Disease

1. Periodontal Disease Overview
2. Common symptoms of periodontal disease
3. Common causes of periodontal disease
4. Help me choose a natural and alternative treatment for periodontal disease
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of periodontal disease
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for periodontal disease

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