“What foods cause gingivitis?”

Gingivitis is caused if after eating, you don’t brush or floss to remove the plaque that sticks to your teeth. If not removed, it stays in your gums causing inflammation and bleeding.
All foods can cause gingivitis and eventually periodontal disease if your hygiene is poor.

Foods do not cause gingivitis. The lack of the removal of plaque causes gingivitis.

No foods cause gingivitis. Not brushing your teeth and not getting them cleaned at a dental office causes gingivitis.

Gingivitis is caused by bacteria and is an infection. To prevent gingivitis 1) brush daily preferably with a mechanical toothbrush, 2) floss daily, 3) have your teeth and gums cleaned semiannually by a dental hygienist and 4) get regular exams by a dentist. Gingivitis left untreated will lead to periodontitis which is the leading cause for tooth loss. It’s easy to prevent but difficult to cure. 

Unlike decay or cavities, we don't generally think of foods causing gingivitis. Gingivitis is a disease of the gingiva of gums caused by retained bacteria around or on the gingiva. So it is caused by specific or specific groups of bacteria which cause a host response or your gums reacting to those bacteria. Retention of food debris around the gums can be a component of dental plaque,which is a film of bacteria and their toxins and waste products and of course can contain food debris. Foods can therefore indirectly contribute to but not cause gingivitis. Any food that has debris left around the teeth can contribute to not cause gingivitis.

Plaque, the sticky, white film on the teeth, is what causes gingivitis. Foods don’t cause it. But sugars and carbohydrates which turn into sugars cause plaque to form because that is what the bacteria in plaque like to eat. Avoid sugars and minimize carbs, but you must brush and floss to remove the plaque every day to avoid gingivitis.