Maintaining good oral health is essential for overall well-being, and getting the right vitamins and minerals can help keep your teeth strong and healthy. In this guide, we’ll cover the essential nutrients your teeth need and good food sources for them from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Calcium for strong teeth and bones.
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for maintaining strong teeth and bones. It helps to build and maintain the structure of your teeth, and also plays a role in keeping your jawbone healthy.
Good sources of calcium include:
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Leafy greens
- Fortified foods such as orange juice and cereal
Vitamin D for calcium absorption.
In addition to calcium, vitamin D is also essential for maintaining healthy teeth and bones. This is because vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium effectively. Our bodies can produce vitamin D from sunlight. It is the most natural source of vitamin D. If you want to soak up the sun, aim for 10-30 minutes of sunlight at midday several times per week, but be sure to wear sunscreen to protect your skin.
You can also get vitamin D from food sources. Good sources of vitamin D include:
- Fish: salmon, tuna, swordfish, sardines
- Egg yolks
- Dairy and plant milk fortified with vitamin D.
- Beef liver
- Fortified cereals
Vitamin C for healthy gums.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy gums. It helps to strengthen the connective tissues that hold your teeth in place and can also help to prevent gum disease.
You can get vitamin C from a variety of fruits and vegetables, including:
- Citrus fruits
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloup
- Red and Green bell peppers
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
Phosphorus for tooth enamel.
Phosphorus is an important mineral for maintaining strong tooth enamel. It works with calcium to build and repair tooth enamel, which helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Good sources of phosphorous include:
- Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
- Salmon
- Beef
- Poultry
- Pork
- Legumes
- Nuts and Seeds
- Whole wheat breads and cereals
- Some vegetables: asparagus, tomatoes, cauliflower
Vitamin A for saliva production and tooth enamel.
Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy saliva production, which helps to wash away harmful bacteria and food particles from your teeth and gums. It also plays a crucial role in developing and maintaining tooth enamel. You can find vitamin A in a variety of foods, including:
- Leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli), orange and yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other winter squash, summer squash)
- Tomatoes
- Red bell pepper
- Cantaloupe, mango
- Beef liver
- Fish oils
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fortified foods
Potassium & Magnesium
Like vitamin D, potassium improves your bone mineral density. It also works with magnesium to prevent your blood from becoming too acidic, which can leach calcium from your bones and teeth. Some good sources of potassium and magnesium are:
- Avocado
- Dark chocolate
- Bananas
- Leafy green vegetables
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy)
- Potatoes
- Cashews
Conclusion
Recent research finds more connections to oral health and other infections and inflammation in the body. We cannot overstress the importance of getting enough vitamins and minerals into your diet for good oral health. Plenty of supplements are on the market, but it is best to get the above vitamins and minerals from your diet as much as possible. Besides, there are lots of fruits and vegetables available this time of year! So, it’s a great time to fill up on your favorites!
At Modern Care Endodontics, our doctors possess extensive knowledge and expertise in clinical endodontics and sincerely care about you as a patient and will personalize their treatment for your individual needs. Please contact us if you have any questions or need to schedule an appointment.
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Modern Care Endodontics