As we have stressed before, nutrition plays a major role in your overall health and wellness. The vitamins and minerals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and certain animal proteins are essential to maintaining a healthy life. It is easier to prevent diseases and other maladies than it is to treat and try to reverse the damage after the fact. The same way that antioxidants are key to supporting your immune system, your mouth, which is part of your digestive system, requires specific vitamins and minerals in order to function properly.
The beauty of nutrition is that something that is good for one system is typically good for multiple other systems or body parts and functions. If you understand what your body needs and you provide your body with those things, you will most likely suffer less health problems throughout your lifetime than someone who disregards those natural body requirements. So, what vitamins and minerals are important for your oral health? What do your teeth, gums, and supporting bones and tissues need?
VITAMIN A is essential for keeping gums healthy and aiding in the healing process. Orange, yellow, and dark green fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin A. So, load up on your carrots, mangoes, bell peppers, kale, and spinach! It can also be found in fish and egg yolks.
VITAMIN B (all of them!) is great at helping to reduce inflammation. Poultry, beans, and green vegetables are chalked full of these vitamins.
VITAMIN C is very important for good periodontal health. It aids in the prevention of inflammation and helps build and repair connective tissues. It is also crucial for preventing scurvy, a serious gum disease that leads to bleeding. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and will help with healing and keeping your immune system strong.
VITAMIN D is essential in order for your body to absorb calcium. CALCUIM is necessary for maintaining strong bones and teeth, and preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin D can be taken in from just 15 minutes of sunshine (don’t forget to wear sunscreen), three times a week! Calcium can be found in leafy greens, cauliflower, cabbage, and almonds.
VITAMIN E aids in the restoration of damaged oral tissues. It can be found in avocados, sunflower seeds, and spinach.
MAGNESIUM, which is found kale, spinach, and dark chocolate, helps build strong enamel and can help prevent cavities from forming.
All of these vitamins and minerals are beneficial in a number of other ways for all different parts, functions, and systems in your body. Taking care of our teeth and gums is more than just brushing, flossing, and biannual cleanings. Like all other systems, the digestive system requires proper nutrition to stay balanced, functioning, and healthy. Good nutrition is one of the easier things you can do for your body, and Parker Wellness is here to guide you down that path.
Thank you for sharing a smile with us!