Ailments and Situations - Periodontal Disease - Remedies |
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Remedies This disease is hard to stop once started, especially in advanced stages. A preventative approach is the best strategy.
- Foods -Foods Eat hard fruits such as apples and pears. These fruits help clean the teeth and gums as you eat them. - Herbs -Herbs When applied directly, aloe vera soothes inflated gums. Clove oil is good for the temporary relief of gum pain. Gargle with a cool infusion of chamomile to help treat gingivitis. Echinacea, hawthorn berries, myrrh gum, and rose hips can either be applied directly or taken as a tea. These herbs stimulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. Goldenseal has strong antibacterial properties and destroys the bacteria that cause gum disease. NOTE: This delicate, wild herb is becoming increasingly rare as its popularity grows. Use only after you have exhausted other possible courses of antibacterial treatment. To prepare a tea, use 1/2 to 1 tsp. powdered root per cup of boiling water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Drink up to 2 cups daily. Add honey or lemon to reduce the bitter flavour. If using a tincture, take 10 to 40 drops two times daily. You may also swish this amount in your mouth (if tincture is alcohol-free) and then swallow. If using capsules, take 250 to 500mg of powdered extract. Do not take for more than one week at a time and avoid completely if you are pregnant or have high blood pressure. - Homeopathy -Homeopathy Certain remedies can be used in acute situations if your symptoms fit the symptom picture of the remedy. For dosages, see the dedicated section on Homeopathy. Consult your homeopath or naturopath to determine your constitutional remedy: the remedy that best fits you as a whole person. Your homeopath or naturopath will take a complete case history considering all of your mental and physical ailments and match these symptoms with the symptom picture of the remedy. Kali phosphoricum: helpful for gums that bleed easily and for spongy, recessive gums. Mercurius: for loose teeth and swollen gums. - Lifestyle -Lifestyle Brush your teeth and floss daily. Avoid using the same toothbrush for longer than one month, and make sure to clean your toothbrush after each use. Bacteria do not shy away from living on toothbrushes! Try storing your toothbrush in grapefruit seed extract to kill germs. Electric toothbrushes have proven to be very effective in removing bacteria. Brushing with baking soda is also effective in battling bacterial buildup. Professional cleanings, at least on a yearly basis, are a key tool in combating, and especially in preventing gum disease. Those cleanings become necessary in more advanced staged of gum disease, as cleaning at home becomes more difficult. Surgery may be necessary in severe cases of periodontal disease, where infected gum tissue is removed and the supporting bone structures are reshaped. Consider lifestyle changes to improve immune system response: reduce alcohol consumption and smoking, get adequate sleep, proper nutrition, exercise on a regular basis, and consider activities to reduce stress. Eat a diet that includes foods that actually exercise teeth and gums: fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Avoid breath mints and fresheners. These products contain sugar that, in turn, acts as food for bacteria, aggravating the problem. To alleviate soreness and for healing, rub vitamin E oil on inflated gums. A tablet, which can be purchased at most drugstores, when chewed will leave traces where there is bacterial buildup on your teeth. Be sure to floss regularly. When brushing, brush your gums gently and at an angle so the bristles get in between the teeth and the gums. - Minerals -Minerals Calcium and magnesium help prevent bone loss around the gums and are especially important if you smoke. If supplementing with calcium, take 1,500 mg daily in chelated form for best absorption. If supplementing with magnesium, take in a 2:1 ration of calcium to magnesium, e.g., 1,500mg calcium, 750mg magnesium. - Vitamins -Vitamins Take 2,000 to 4,000mg of vitamin C with bioflavonoids in divided doses daily to promote healing. This vitamin is very important if you smoke. Bioflavonoids retard plaque growth. Start with the lower dosage and increase up to bowel tolerance. Again, ensure that supplementation occurs in divided doses. Coenzyme Q10 increases tissue oxygenation and helps reduce pocket depth, swelling, bleeding, redness, pain, and looseness of teeth. Take 25 to 100mg daily. Vitamin A and E promote gum tissue healing. If supplementing with vitamin A, take 10,000IU daily. If supplementing with vitamin E, take 400 to 800 IU daily. Vitamin B complex helps for proper digestion and healthy mouth tissues. Take one 50mg capsule once or twice daily. Do not take more than 50mg at one time as your body cannot absorb a larger amount in a single dosage. Zinc enhances immune function. Take 25mg daily.
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