Your gums and teeth depend on particular nutrients to stay in excellent condition. Here are some vitamins and minerals you need to include in your diet, to maintain good oral health.
Vitamin A
Normally vitamin A is associated with clear skin, a strong immune system and good eyesight, but it also helps to maintain a healthy salivary flow in the mouth. Not only that it makes sure that your gums stay healthy and helps them to heal – thus reducing the risk of gum disease.
You can find vitamin A in:
- Sweet potatoes
- Egg yolks
- Fish
- Carrots
- Mangoes
- Spinach
- Kale
B Vitamins
Do you suffer with tongue inflammation or mouth ulcers? Well you may not be including enough B vitamins in your diet to prevent these appearing. And if you are a vegan, it is much harder to get enough B vitamins, as it is predominantly found in meat products. So if that is the case you may need the supplement B12 to ensure you can include this in your dietary needs.
You can find B vitamins in:
- Fish
- Egg
- Poultry such as chicken and duck
- Dairy
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for repairing and building connective tissue, which aids in preventing gum inflammation and gum disease. If you don’t include enough vitamin C in your diet, it could lead to getting a serious gum disease called scurvy.
You can find vitamin C in:
- Citrus fruit
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Berries
Calcium
To maintain strong teeth a diet rich in calcium is highly beneficial – helping to prevent bone fractures and weak bone tissues around the teeth. It also protects you against getting periodontal disease and keeps your jaw bone healthy.
You can find calcium in:
- Dairy products like milk and yoghurt
- Salmon
- Leafy green vegetables
- Almonds
- Soy milk
Coenzyme Q10
You may not have heard of this vitamin, but it is naturally produced by the body and plays a key part in kick starting the healing process for unhealthy gums. To improve your oral health it will reduce pain, swelling and bleeding associated with gum disease.
You can find Coenzyme Q10 in:
- Pork
- Beef
- Chicken Liver
- Parsley
- Some vegetable oils
Vitamin D
This vitamin is commonly known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ as it helps your skin when you are out in the sun. Like the illuminating sunshine, vitamin D brightens up the health of your teeth. It prevents tooth decay and helps your body to absorb calcium.
You can find vitamin d in:
- Milk
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Cod liver oil
