Vitamins and Oral Health: What You Need and Where to Find it
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is about more than brushing, flossing and avoiding the wrong types of food — you'll also need to ensure that you're giving your body the right vitamins. Here's a quick list of the what, why and where.
Vitamin C
Your body needs vitamin C to perform basic maintenance on your bones, cartilage and teeth and also uses it to heal wounds. An inadequate supply can cause your gums to bleed, something which can easily develop into gingivitis, a potentially serious disease which often requires extensive periodontal work. Luckily, vitamin C is easy to find — try citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli and red peppers. Avoid fruit juices, as these are acidic and usually high in sugar. Your body can't store vitamin C for long, so consume a good supply each day.
Vitamin A
If your gums are inflamed, you might be lacking in vitamin A. Among other things, it is responsible for maintaining the membranes and soft tissue of your gums. Additionally, an inadequate supply usually leaves you susceptible to infection. Find your daily dose of vitamin A in beef, milk, cheese and eggs. It requires fat for absorption; if you're using a supplement, take it with your meals.
Vitamin D
Like vitamin A, vitamin D also helps prevent inflammation of the gums, but its most important oral benefit is that it helps the body to absorb calcium. If you're not getting enough calcium, your jaw will weaken and your teeth will begin to feel looser. That's why vitamin D and calcium supplements are often offered together. The best natural sources of vitamin D are fatty fish, cheese and milk. Those dairy products are also jam-packed with calcium, so you get a two for one deal.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which helps prevent the damaging effect of harmful free radicals. This comes with a number of important benefits, including the suppression of potentially cancerous cells. However, antioxidants also help stop free radicals from oxidizing in your mouth and damaging the health of your gums. Find your daily shot of vitamin E in sunflower seeds, peanut butter, almonds and spinach.
Vitamin B
A vitamin B deficiency can cause your mouth to feel dry and your gums to recede, as well as affecting the basic sensitivity of your oral mucous membranes. Vitamin B is very frequently taken as a supplement, as it tends to provide a boost to your energy levels. However, you can also find it in leafy green vegetables, oranges and protein rich foods — particularly meat.
Remember, these vitamins represent the physical building blocks of good oral health. Just make a few changes to your diet and you'll ensure that your mouth stays healthy. Talk with a dentist from a clinic like DC Dental if you have specific questions about maintaining good oral health.
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