Grapefruit may help gum disease

by Nick Vagnoni, Posted Dec 26th 2005 @ 4:06PM

Eating two grapefruits a day seems to help heal bleeding gums, according to the results of recent study from a German university. The high levels of Vitamin C apparently helped promote wound healing and reduced damage by free radicals, according to a recent article in The Times of India. Of the nearly 60 participants in the study from Friedrich Schiller University, smokers in the group generally had 29 percent lower levels of Vitamin C than non-smokers. It's unclear why levels of the vitamin were lower in smokers.

I'm not sure why researchers focused on grapefruits in particular. I guess if you take anything away from this news, it's that Vitamin C may help your gums. If 14 grapefruits a week is too much for you though, just floss.

[Photo: Nick Vagnoni]

Filed Under: Science, Newspapers, Ingredients
Tags: fruit, germany, grapefruit, gum disease, gums, study, vitamin c