A study led by researchers at the University Hospital of Wuerzburg (Germany) shows that daily consumption of lettuce juice is very effective in controlling chronic gingivitis. This disease involves inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria and, if left untreated, can develop into periodontitis or pyorrhoea.
The benefit that provides lettuce for gingivitis is explained by the high content of nitrates existing in the leaf of this plant. As highlighted by Yvonne Jockel-Schneider, director of the research published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, “Our results show that the daily consumption of nitrates can be a useful adjunct in the control of chronic gingivitis”.
This study involved 44 patients with chronic gingivitis and according to a random test, 23 of them were selected to take three bottles with 100 ml of common lettuce juice over 14 days, while the other 21 (placebo group) ingested lettuce juice without nitrates. Once the period ended, those treated with nitrate juice showed a lower gingival index than the other ones. Moreover, the daily consumption of common lettuce juice was also associated with a significant increase in the level of nitrates in saliva.
