Dental Veneers Changed My Life

2 Emerging Natural Treatments For Gum Disease That Can Help You With Your Struggle For Good Oral Health

14 December 2015 by Harold Coleman

While many people can improve their gum health after being diagnosed with gum disease by simply becoming dedicated to good oral hygiene, you may be having a harder time getting rid of it if you have an underlying health condition that makes fighting it more difficult, like diabetes. You may be happy to hear that there is a lot of research going on that is aimed at finding better gum disease treatments for stubborn cases of gum disease, and many of the treatments are natural. Here are two great new discoveries that may be available to you in the near future.

1. Light Therapy

Light therapy, or photo-dynamic therapy, is being used in many fields of medicine today. There are types of light that can kill bacteria, and a bacteria-killing blue light is already being used in dermatology to help people kill acne-causing bacteria on their skin. There are also UV lights made for home use to disinfect household objects, including toothbrushes.

Now, light therapy has been tested for its ability to kill bacteria that cause gum disease, and it has been successful. It not only kills bacteria but also suppresses the inflammation that gum disease can cause.

The process involves coating gums with a special light-sensitizing solution that helps the light penetrate the gums more easily. Then, a light made specifically for killing bacteria in gums is projected at each section of gum tissue being treated, typically the periodontal pocket, for about one minute. Even with each pocket being treated individually, this part of the procedure can take less just over 30 minutes, since the average adult has 32 teeth.

While not a substitute for good home oral care and frequent deep cleanings and root scalings at your dentist's office, it is believed to be a great option for killing even more bacteria in your mouth without antibiotics.

2. Blueberry Extract Treatment

With so many foods being packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components, it may not surprise you that a polyphenol in blueberries has been found in studies to kill bacteria that diseased gums harbor and suppress gum disease inflammation. This substance actually worked so well during studies that researchers are already stating that they plan to create a medication for gum disease based on this blueberry component.

If you are thinking of mashing up blueberries and rubbing them on your gums in the mean-time, remember that while healthy, blueberries do contain some natural sugar, so that would likely be a bad idea. However, sugar-free blueberry extract is sold in some health food stores, and it couldn't hurt to add a drop to your toothbrush with your toothpaste to see if it helps you get your gum disease under control.

If you have chronic gum disease, then look forward to these new, natural treatments that may be available soon. In the meantime, maintain your good home oral-hygiene routine and obtain regular deep-cleanings and root scalings from your dentist to help keep your gum disease under control.

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