Vitamins are essentially an all-around preventative measure for common oral health issues. Improving your mouth’s health every day with vitamins is a proactive way to ensure a pain-free healthy dental experience. Dr. Joseph Porter at Porter Orthodontics recommends these vitamins for tooth health to strengthen your enamel and promote jaw health.
Five Vitamins and Minerals you Should Have Daily:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
Vitamin A
Vitamin A aids your body in keeping mucous membranes healthy. Inside your mouth, this means saliva production, fighting dryness, and the health of the mouth tissues. This is especially helpful after a dental procedure or oral surgery. Vitamin A helps your mouth to heal as best as possible. For more vitamin A incorporate sweet potatoes, melon, fish, or spinach into your diet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is amazing for the soft tissues inside your mouth. If you struggle with canker sores or other oral sores, adding some Vitamin C to your diet can help them heal quicker. Healing any injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth can also be sped up by vitamin C due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Another benefit of increasing vitamin C in your diet is preventing gingivitis. By adulthood, most people experience gum disease. At the very least, many people have suffered mild gingivitis, but some experience progression into gum disease’s more serious forms. Vitamin C is easy to get into your daily diet; it’s found in oranges, red peppers, and leafy greens!
Calcium
Teeth are bones too! As we all know, calcium is the mineral of strong bones. Getting enough calcium protects your teeth from root to crown and strengthens the jawbone. Calcium is found in dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential because it helps your body absorb vitamin C. Increasing vitamin D in your life helps increase your bone mineral density and leads to healthier bones all over, not you’re your teeth. Because of these qualities, vitamin D is ideal for those undergoing orthodontic treatment. Vitamin D is also great because you don’t have to buy anything to incorporate it into your life, just step out into the sun!
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is integral in the functions aided by osteocalcin. What is osteocalcin? What does vitamin K have to do with your bones? Osteocalcin is secreted by cells in your bones and has an important role in regulating muscle strength and your physical capabilities. It has effects on your bone and tooth health, but also is essential to cognition and regulating glucose metabolism. Vitamin K is found in cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli, and soybean oil.