Natural Nourishment – Essential Vitamins & Minerals To Help Maintain Oral Health
If you want to boost your oral health, there are vitamins and minerals that can help – let’s take a look….
Here at Abbey Road Dental, great oral health is something we are proud to support with high-quality treatments and pre-emptive examinations. However, for your oral health to be optimum, certain vitamins and minerals are essential.
When it comes to your teeth and gum condition, you really are what you eat. In this article, we want to give you information about the best vitamins and minerals to consume for a strong and healthy smile, including tips on foods, drinks and supplements.
Let’s take a closer look at natural nourishment for your smile health:
Here are the essential vitamins and minerals you need:
Calcium
Calcium is essential for strong teeth and bones which is why you need so much of it when you are a child and you are growing. However, as you age, it remains important because the body constantly needs it to restore and renew. This is particularly true as you age, when calcium stores can deplete.
If you are low in calcium you might struggle with enamel loss, or even tooth loss eventually.
Risk Factors –
Certain medications can decrease calcium absorption. Hormonal changes, genes and lactose intolerance can also impact the amount of calcium you have in your body, or the amount that you absorb.
Sources –
You can get calcium from fortified non-dairy milks, fortified cereal, green leafy vegetables, dairy and certain types of fish.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important immune system vitamin, helping to keep cells protected and boosting the health of the gums. It helps you to fight off gum disease and infections, and if you have diagnosed gum disease vitamin C could help you manage the disease, or reverse it, along with help from your Abbey Road Dental hygienist.
If you have a vitamin C deficiency you can struggle with all kinds of issues including tooth loss, bleeding gums, mood problems, skin lesions and joint pain.
Risk Factors –
You could suffer from a vitamin C deficiency if you smoke, drink too much alcohol, struggle with eating disorders or if you struggle with malnutrition overall.
Sources –
You can get vitamin C from cheap supplements and drink tablets, as well as citrus fruit, peppers, broccoli, strawberries and carrots.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is something that we get naturally from sunshine because the sun triggers our body to make it. It allows us to absorb and regulate important vitamins and minerals like calcium. We need a little sunshine everyday to get it, but in the UK, we are often lacking in this vitamin because we don’t get too much sun. In Winter, the deficiency worsens. It can also worsen with the use of strong sun creams and covering the skin.
If you lack Vitamin D you can struggle with a range of issues including; nausea, ataxia, constipation, weakness, joint pain, back pain and hair loss.
Risk Factors –
Inadequate exposure to sunlight, a lack of vitamin D in the diet, diseases of the bowel or liver and some functional issues in the body can cause your body to struggle with a lack of vitamin D in the body overall.
Sources –
You can get vitamin D from the sun, as well as mushrooms, liver, egg yolks, salmon and tinned tuna.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is known for being good for your eyes, but it also plays an important role in your oral health too. It helps to fight off infection and plays a really vital role in your fight against active gum disease. It helps to heal the gums after infection, which is really important if you’re having regular deep cleans to help you get on top of active gingivitis or periodontitis. Vitamin A is also important for saliva gland health, the part of your mouth that helps keep everything moist, and that helps flush food and debris from the teeth and gums. Saliva is also an essential part of the digestion process.
If you have a vitamin A deficiency you might find that you struggle to see in low light, you have issues with your skin, you struggle with fighting infections and you may even have fertility issues.
Risk Factors –
Regular diarrhoea, pregnancy, breastfeeding and malnutrition are risk factors for vitamin A deficiency. Conditions like cystic fibrosis could also be a risk factor for vitamin A deficiency.
Sources –
You can get vitamin A from red and yellow peppers, green leafy vegetables, mangos and carrots. The body turns these sources of beta-carotene into vitamin A. If you eat meat and dairy you can get vitamin A from liver, cheese, eggs and milk.
Phosphorous
Phosphorus works with calcium to help build strong bones and teeth. It also boosts your metabolism, helps filter waste through the kidneys, and it can also help with muscle fatigue and pain if you workout a lot.
You might struggle with anxiety, bone pain, weakness and general fatigue if you have a phosphorous deficiency.
Risk Factors –
Being low in phosphorus is not common because there are so many sources of it in any diet. However, diabetes, certain genetic conditions, alcohol abuse and eating disorders can cause a deficiency.
Sources –
You can get phosphorus from dairy, brown rice, oats, beans, seeds, nuts, chicken and some seafoods.
How Your St John’s Wood Hygienist & Dentist Can Help
Your hygienist can discuss vitamins and minerals with you, as well as suggesting medical conditions, medications or habits that could be starving you of essential nutrients.
Our NW8 hygienist will always have helpful suggestions for you as well as various questions to try and get to the bottom of any problems you might be having with your gums and teeth. These personalised appointments in addition to regular dental checks, can help you get some tailor-made advice relating to your specific needs.
If your hygienist or dentist suspects that you may have a deficiency, they can also recommend that you get tested by your doctor to check certain vitamin and mineral levels.
For the reasons above, it is important to always keep your Abbey Road Dental team up to date with your medications, medical status and other lifestyle changes so that they can provide you with the most relevant advice. If you would like to discuss this further, please call our team on 02076241603 and we will be more than happy to help!