Gingivitis and zinc deficiency: are they linked?

Periodontal diseases affect approximately one French person out of two…

In most cases, bleeding gums are a sign that you are not getting enough of the most important nutrients for your body.

Research has defined zinc as a major player in the body's immune system.

One of the first indications of zinc deficiency is bleeding gums and gingivitis. So if your gums are bleeding, it's time to learn why.

Can a vitamin deficiency cause bleeding gums?

To begin with, zinc is not a vitamin but a trace element (yet another name for a vitamin that raises questions), which means that it is only found in trace amounts in the body.

If you have near-perfect dental hygiene, but are zinc deficient, you may still have problems with your gums.

You can brush and floss your teeth daily to fight plaque build-up, but this may not prevent problems from occurring in the future.

Gut microbiota and the health of your mouth are linked!

If you are still experiencing pain or bleeding while flossing or brushing your teeth, you should consider what you are putting in your mouth first.

Your diet is important!

The Importance of Nutrition

Nutrition is a key factor in avoiding periodontal disease.

Early signs of periodontal disease are bleeding gums during sessions when you clean your teeth; this is also called gingivitis.

As this disease progresses, and slowly turns into periodontitis, which causes cavities, it can cause complications later on and even cause the loss of your teeth.

So, if your gums are bleeding and you are brushing your teeth, the question you need to ask yourself is:

What are you missing?

Has your diet changed recently, which could explain the bleeding?

What are the signs and symptoms of zinc deficiency?

Bleeding gums are a sign of zinc deficiency.

Nevertheless, it is really a specific segment of the population that suffers the most.

Research indicates that zinc deficiency is most prevalent amongthe elderly and pregnant women for a variety of reasons[2].

The deficiencies of pregnant women

Nearly 80% of pregnant women in the United States are considered zinc deficient, because they require three times the daily dose of zinc for fetal growth.

This is a considerable consumption of zinc.

Pregnant women should be aware of their iron intake, but not increase their zinc intake at the same time.

This is why it is suggested that pregnant women take a zinc supplement during pregnancy to reach their daily goal.

In addition, research shows that 30% of seniors do not eat enough food daily, which prevents them from getting enough zinc and possibly other nutrients.

Zinc deficiency and the elderly: The elderly need the same amount of zinc as the average adult, so it is important to incorporate as many zinc-containing foods into their diet.

If the deficiency remains, and they have not been able to change their diet, then a supplement should be taken.

What are the Health Benefits of Zinc?

Recent studies have highlighted zinc and even called it the miracle mineral[3]. Zinc is considered one of the most important nutrients in the body because of its many benefits. Zinc helps to:

• Strengthen your immune system
• Fighting inflammation
• Stimulating growth
• Boosting wound healing
• Fight against skin aging
• Fight viruses and colds
• Keep your metabolism healthy
• Participate in the improvement of your taste
• Improvement of your blood circulation
• Improvement of your sexual activity

Zinc is involved in more than a hundred important enzymatic processes in the body.

It is active in DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, immune and wound healing processes, reproduction and growth.

It plays a role in defining mood and learning, as well as in vision, taste and smell[4].

Zinc is important. You will find below in this article the food sources to remedy your deficiencies. If you want to use supplements in capsule form, we recommend Nutriméa zinc supplements

What does zinc have to do with bleeding gums?

You may be wondering why zinc is so important for your gums.

This is because zinc helps to heal wounds, and actively participates in healing.

New research findings suggest that periodontal health is significantly improved with a zinc-containing diet.

And that zinc-deficient dieters are at risk of developing periodontal disease.

When combined with vitamin A, zinc will help transport vitamin A into the bloodstream to fight inflammation.

Zinc is also your primary defense against plaque formation around your teeth.

If you don't get enough zinc, then it's harder for your system to carry vitamin A to your teeth to help them heal naturally.

What is the daily dose of zinc from your diet?

It is important to focus on foods that provide the daily amount of zinc you need.

Your body doesn't store zinc supplements, so we need to make sure we get them on a daily basis. Recommended dietary allowance for zinc:

• 8 mg/ woman
• 11mg/ man
• 3-5mg/ child
• 25mg/ pregnant woman

In general, zinc is used in two standard dosages. The low dosage is 5-10mg and the high dosage is 25-45mg.

The low dose works well as a daily preventive, while the so-called high dose should be considered by anyone with a zinc deficiency.

If you have a zinc deficiency condition, a dose of 20/30 mg is required to raise your levels.

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Zinc Food Source

You can get zinc through a variety of foods:

• Poultry
• Meat
• Seafood
• Dairy products
• Whole grains
• Nuts

Table of foods containing zinc [7]