Your mouth possesses one of the most effective healing processes of your body. For instance, mouth wounds heal faster than skin wounds. According to a recent research study, the human mouth responds almost immediately to wounds. Skin takes longer to respond. As a result, the human mouth can heal a wound within a few days.
Despite this amazing ability, oral wounds still need your help to heal. Unfortunately, this means that your habits, diet and state of health have an effect on how quickly your oral wounds heal.
Smoking Slows Healing
Oral wounds, such as ulcers and gum wounds, heal more slowly when exposed to cigarettes. For instance, nicotine reduces the blood flow to your gums, resulting in slower healing times. A wound that should normally take three days to heal then could take three weeks. If you smoke and you have an oral wound, try to reduce the amount you smoke for a while. This may help speed up the healing process.
Alcohol Slows the Healing Process
In a similar fashion to smoking, alcohol interferes with healing, slowing it down. When combined, such as over a weekend, these two could significantly slow the healing of any oral wounds you have. As a result, you should avoid activities that involve alcohol and cigarettes, such as clubbing, if you have any oral wounds.
Your Diet Affects Healing
Much like a car, your body runs at its best when given the right fuel. If you have a healthy diet then, like one that contains vegetables, fruits, nuts and fish, your healing capability will be at its optimal level. However, when your body doesn't receive enough of certain things, such as vitamin A and vitamin C, its ability to heal weakens.
To improve your body's healing process, you need to eat the right foods.
Eat More Carrots
Vitamin A, which can lower the risk of infection and speed up healing, helps cells to reproduce, allowing repair tissue to form. Carrots are rich in vitamin A. To boost your reserves of vitamin A, eat more carrots.
Add Fruit to Your Diet
Much the same as vitamin A, vitamin C is a vital component of the healing process. It even aids in the formation of skin and blood vessels. If you have an oral wound that isn't healing, take vitamin C supplements. A study conducted in the 80s found that taking 500 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C aids in wound healing. You can also eat fruits rich in vitamin C, such as cantaloupes, mangos and pineapples, to boost your immune system.
When you are in good health and rarely smoke or drink, your oral wounds should heal within a few days. However, if you find that an oral wound, such as an ulcer, is taking a long time to heal, following the tips here can help you speed up healing. If your oral wound still hasn't healed after several weeks, call a dentist. You may need dental treatment.
