The Best Vitamins and Minerals for Healthy Teeth

Proper nutrition and a vitamin-rich diet are beneficial for your whole body and overall health including your teeth and gums. Certain vitamins and minerals can naturally strengthen your teeth and protect them from erosion. In this article, we are going to share some vitamins and minerals you need for your teeth and healthy foods in which you can find them.

Vitamin A

Most people know that vitamin A is good for your eyes. However, it is also essential for keeping your gums healthy and for building tooth enamel because it helps form and maintain tissues like teeth and mucous membranes. These membranes coat your gums and cheeks and protect them from diseases. Vitamin A also promotes saliva production which aids in cleaning away food particles and bacteria from your teeth and gums.

Carrots are famous for being rich in vitamin A but all orange fruits and vegetables such as peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and oranges, are good sources of this vitamin. It’s also abundant in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, parsley and other herbs.

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most important minerals not only for your bones but for your teeth too. It strengthens your enamel and helps form strong and healthy teeth. It’s crucial that children get enough calcium in their diet from a young age but a proper level of calcium should be maintained throughout your entire adult life as well.

It’s well known that all dairy products are a rich source of calcium but other foods which you can incorporate in your diet to get more of this mineral include sardines, canned salmon, beans, almonds and leafy greens.

Vitamin B Complex

The Vitamin B complex is made up of 8 different vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12. These vitamins can help prevent inflammation of the tongue, sores, and irritation of the inside and outside of the mouth and gums. They can also prevent cracked lips and gum diseases. Foods rich in vitamin B complex are milk, fish, soy, spirulina, papaya and dark leafy greens.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is extremely important for your gums. According to research, it’s essential in forming blood vessels and keeping the connective tissues of your gums strong. Without enough of it, the connective tissues holding the teeth weaken which can lead to bleeding gums and loose teeth.

This is why one of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency is bleeding gums. Citrus fruits, berries, peppers, brussels sprouts, spinach, parsley, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C and will keep you gum tissues healthy and strong.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is also very good for both your bones and teeth. This micronutrient helps your body to absorb, carry and deposit calcium into your bloodstream. Without this vitamin,  you would suffer from calcium deficiency, which can lead to underdeveloped teeth, gum disease, and tooth decay.

All you need to do in order to acquire all the vitamin D that your body needs is sitting in direct sunlight for 15 minutes each day. Apart from that, you also find vitamin D in foods such as milk, cheese, egg yolks, fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon and cod liver oil.

Phosphorus

Phosphorous is another important vitamin for healthy teeth. According to studies, in order for calcium to fully absorb into your body and help you have good bone and teeth health, it needs to be paired with phosphorus. Most dairy products contain both phosphorus and calcium together which is why they are so great for your teeth. The best way to get more phosphorus is through your diet.

Besides milk and dairy products, make sure you incorporate foods like soy, flaxseeds, beans, lentils, whole grains, sardines and dried fruit. As a lot of foods contain a good amount of phosphorus, most people usually don’t suffer from deficiency and don’t need to take supplements.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a mineral that helps to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. It’s usually added to most public water supplies because the amount of fluoride in foods can fluctuate. This mineral is used by dentists and in most kinds of toothpaste and dental care products to fight against tooth and gum decay.

It promotes the remineralization of tooth enamel which needs to be strengthened regularly in order to protect our teeth. To include more fluoride in your diet, make sure you drink tap water, black tea (made with tap water) and eat more raisins and seafood.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K – helps prevent tooth decay.  Without enough Vitamin K, the body healing process won’t work properly.  Where can you find Vitamin K?  In all those wonderful green, leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens as well as brussels sprouts and broccoli.

Zinc

Zinc is another important mineral that has been proven to fight against the growth of plaque and bacteria which cause teeth and gum diseases. It can naturally be found in saliva but if you want to get more zinc, make sure that your diet includes foods like cashews, red meat, pumpkin seeds, squash, oysters, mushrooms, dark chocolate, and legumes.

Eating a  healthy diet can provide you with enough vitamins and improve your dental and overall health. If necessary, you may need to take vitamin supplements for best results. While having a balanced diet is important for your teeth, good oral hygiene and regular dental visits are crucial in order to prevent any teeth and gum diseases.

You can talk to your dentist about your oral health and ask them if you need to take any vitamin supplements. They can give you more details about the nutrients that you need depending on your body and how you should include them in your day to day routine.

Always consult your dentist in Albuquerque and doctor before taking vitamin or mineral supplements because you can have not only vitamin deficiency but also overabundance.

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