Even though not liked by many for its taste grapefruit is a thing to cheer for people suffering from gum disease.
It has been found that people with gum disease who ate two grapefruits a day for a fortnight showed significantly less bleeding from the gums.The study was performed by Friedrich Schiller University in Germany and finds publication place in the British Dental Journal.
The explanation given is that it is due to an increase in blood levels of vitamin C, known to promote wound healing and cut damage by unstable free radical molecules. Another good thing about the research is that the study of 58 people with chronic gum disease found that eating grapefruits had a positive effect on both smokers and non-smokers.
According to Dr Gordon Watkins, a scientific advisor to the British Dental Association, "Most people have a small amount of gum disease, much of which is reversible. But a significant amount has intractable gum disease, which is the biggest cause of loss of teeth in adults. This is a small-scale, short-term study but it reinforces the message that if you have enough vitamin C in your diet then it tends to promote healing."
Each grapefruit contains approximately 92.5 mg of vitamin C.
A precaution observed was that those taking part in the research were advised not to brush their teeth immediately after consuming the grapefruits.
Advertisement
