Vitamin C: Help For Teeth And Gums (NAPSA)—Antioxidants: They’re not just for mealtime anymore. While recent research has suggested that antioxidants can play an important role in keeping the body healthy, these all-important compounds have largely been limited to food and nutritional supplements. However, that has been changing, as antioxidants have begun appearing in a variety of products—from cosmetics to oral care—bringing the antioxidant power straight to the surface, where it can be moreefficient. From C To Shining C Research has shown that vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant in When usedin oral care products, vitamin C has been shown to oral care. By and large, the con- help improve the appearance of teeth and gums. according to the American Acad- STAY-C 50, a patented, stable vit- cern is for patients who don’t get enough vitamin C. For instance, emy of Periodontology, those who consume less than the recommended dietary allowancefor vitamin C haveslightly higher rates of periodontal disease. In oral care products, vitamin C may beof particular benefit to: e Anyone interested in improving the appearance of gums and amin C compound that will soon be available in oral care products such as mouthwash, toothpaste and cleansing rinses. What To Look For When purchasing a product for antioxidant benefit, it’s important to know the “real” names of the ingredients you seek, so you can preventing bad breath; find them on the label. For in- agents; and Smokers, who may bepartic- stable formsis called STAY-C 50. People who use whitening ularly vulnerable to high levels of bacteria in their mouth. What Took So Long? Vitamin C in its primary form, ascorbic acid, is generally sensi- tive to browning and lack of shelf stability, making it less appealing in oral care products. DSM Nutritional Products has formulated stance, vitamin C is usually listed as ascorbic acid, and one of the In addition, the closer to the beginning of the ingredients list that compound is, the better. If a product claims to be fortified with vitamin C but lists it as the last ingredient (after the natural and artificial colors), the quantity included may be insufficient to provide any additional benefit.
