In this age of healthy eating and organic nutrition, information about the benefits of Vitamin C abounds. The nutrient, found in citrus fruits, berries and many green vegetables, is good for the skin and helps to promote a sense of well-being.

Indeed, a Vitamin C deficiency is not a pleasant thing to have. Symptoms include lethargy and weakness. Sufferers are prone to nose-bleeds, bruises that don't heal and, worst of all, gums that become swollen, purplish in colour and spongy.

A bleeding mouth, dentists tell us, is a sign that the standard of oral hygiene is low. Vitamin C helps to boost the immune system, aids in the healing of wounds, wards off free radicals and, significantly, promotes the health of skin and soft tissue. In this light, it is clear that the link between gum disease, also called periodontal disease, and a lack of Vitamin C is strong.

Those with a serious deficiency should seek medical attention. However those who've just begun to notice a little blood on the bristles of their tooth brush can reverse their symptoms with a few simple alterations made to diet and lifestyle.

As we have noted, fresh fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of Vitamin C and so an increase in the intake of these will result in higher levels of the nutrient. For those without the time to munch through platefuls of broccoli or pockets of oranges, a fruit or vegetable juice is a good solution. A juice is not only a quicker way to consume concentrated nutrients; it is also easily absorbed, and accessible to the body.