Keeping your teeth from becoming damaged requires basic dental upkeep, but there are many minerals and vitamins that affect your tooth and gum health too. In addition to flossing, brushing, and having regular dental checkups, your diet should be diverse enough to cover the usual nutritional needs of your teeth.
Vitamins A, C, and D are important to the health of your teeth, both for protecting and building them.
Vitamins A and D help to maintain and develop strong and healthy teeth. The antioxidant vitamin C helps to keep connective tissues and the gums healthy, helping the healing process of scapes or cuts in the mouth. Calcium is also important for the teeth, creating a strong jawbone and foundation for the teeth. In order to keep up your oral health, make certain that your diet has some sources of these vitamins, or foods that contain them.
The following is a list of common sources of vitamins A, C, and D:
- Vitamin A: Find it in dark green vegetables, eggs, liver, and fortified dairy products. Also sweet potatoes, cheddar cheese, pumpkin, cantaloupe melon, apricot, and papaya.
- Vitamin C: Find it in oranges, spinach, raspberries, gooseberries, plums, kale, garlic, and raw cabbage. Animal sources include raw liver, raw oysters, and cod roe. Vitamin C supplements are also an easy option.
- Vitamin D: Find it in catfish, mackeral, tuna, eggs, and fish or vegetable vitamin D supplements. It is also added to many calcium supplements, as these vitamins are harder to find in common foods than vitamins C and A.
- Calcium: Found in milk, soymilk (when calcium is added), nuts such as almonds, and sesame seeds. Because dairy is the most common calcium and vitamin D source, vegans or those who avoid dairy due to lactose intolerance may need to include blackstrap molasses, beans, figs, quinoa, collard greens, or okra.
Additionally, foods containing lots of sugar are generally not great for the teeth. Sticky foods like chocolates or caramels easily get stuck to tooth surfaces for extended periods of time, breaking down the tooth surface and causing cavities.
For additional information, or to schedule a consultation, call Dr. Angela E. Mulrooney, DMD at 403-272-0616.
Dr. Angela E. Mulrooney
700 – 2710 17 Avenue S.E.
Calgary, AB T2A 0P6
(403) 272-0616
