Vitamins For Teeth: What You Need to Know

Conventional wisdom dictates that eating nutritious foods high in vitamins and minerals is good for your overall health. It keeps your heart and other organs functioning, along with improving your cardiovascular system. 

But vitamins and minerals also benefit your oral health, including tooth decay prevention. The following is a list of minerals and vitamins for teeth and gum health.

Calcium consumption is a terrific way to protect your teeth since it strengthens enamel. But when tooth enamel has a calcium deficiency, teeth become weaker. This condition is known as hypo calcification. A telltale sign of hypo calcification is seeing a calcium deposit on teeth. Enamel still covers the tooth, but a chalky or opaque spot – the calcium deposit – might be noticeable.

Eating foods with a high calcium content keep teeth strong and healthy. Plentiful sources of calcium include 

• milk
• cheese
• yogurt
• salmon
• broccoli
• carrots

Most people associate vitamin C with citrus and keeping up your overall health. But it is also one of the best vitamins for teeth and gums.

Vitamin C is critical to the growth, repair, and maintenance of teeth. It also helps hold your teeth in place and prevent them from loosening. Vitamin C plays a role in the collagen synthesis process in tooth dentin.

The value of vitamin C doesn’t stop at teeth. It strengthens the gums and the mouth’s other soft tissues. Gum inflammation prevention, also aided by vitamin C, is an important part of deterring gingivitis – the initial stage of gum disease. Taking vitamin C supplements reduces early childhood tooth wear. Vitamin C is plentiful in 

• berries 
• broccoli
• citrus fruits
• kale, peppers
• sweet potatoes

Vitamin D plays an important role when it comes to overall tooth health. A lack of vitamin D can lead to mouth health issues like gum inflammation, cavities, and gum disease. That’s because vitamin D is critical to bone and tooth mineralization. It provides a boost to the body’s calcium absorption rate while also improving bone mineral density. 

The sun is also a good vitamin D source. Just be sure to use sunscreen prior to any prolonged exposure.

Foods with a high vitamin D content include 

• fish such as mackerel, salmon, and tuna
• portobello mushrooms
• cheese
• soy milk, and other dairy products

Vitamin K2 is a form of vitamin K. It is the chemical compound menaquinone. Vitamin K2 is believed to play a role in cavity prevention. It is also believed to keep tooth enamel and dentin healthy.

Foods high in vitamin K2 include 

• eggs
• chicken
• pork
• blue cheese
• hard cheeses like gouda and Swiss

People tend to associate collagen with facial cosmetic improvements. But it can help teeth and gums too. Studies have shown that collagen ingestion indicates increased bone formation and bone degradation reduction while it also enhances gum thickness. So collagen supplements can negate receding gums.

Magnesium works in tandem with calcium to form enamel – critical for tooth decay prevention. Teeth and bones hold between 50-60 percent of the body’s magnesium supply. A decrease in magnesium weakens tooth enamel.

Magnesium is found in 

• dark leafy veggies
• legumes
• nuts
• seeds
• whole grains

Zinc provides numerous oral health benefits. One of the biggest is tooth decay prevention. It works to prevent demineralization while encouraging remineralization. Zinc reduces the risk of cavities and tooth decay. It also helps prevent gingivitis. Foods such as 

• meat
• shellfish
• legumes
• nuts
• dairy products are good zinc sources

One sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency is mouth sores. The vitamin helps keep your nervous system healthy and makes red blood cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency is often associated with anemia. Mouth sores, also referred to as mouth ulcers, are a common symptom.

Keep your B12 count high by eating foods such as 

• red meat
• pork
• chicken liver
• fish
• dairy products

Vitamin K prevents substances from breaking down bones. It also assists the body with osteocalcin production. Osteocalcin is a protein that supports bone strength. 

The body’s healing process slows down due to a lack of vitamin K. You become more likely to bleed when that happens. A bleeding gums vitamin deficiency happens when you don’t consume enough vitamin K. 

Avoid a vitamin K deficiency by consuming

• leafy greens
• including broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• collards
• kale
• parsley
• spinach

Phosphorus is one of the vitamins that keep teeth strong. It works in tandem with calcium to aid in strengthening bones and teeth. Phosphorus helps the body absorb calcium. That calcium is used to protect and remineralize tooth enamel.

Plenty of foods contain phosphorus, including 

• meat
• milk
• whole grains
• fish
• eggs

It is plentiful in so many foods that most people get enough of it in their diets, so they don’t need to take a phosphorus supplement.

Consult your dentist to discuss any questions about the best vitamins and minerals for teeth and gums. You can also ask about the best supplements for gum health to take. Or, check out The Smile Generation to find a dentist near you for all your oral health needs. You can read patient reviews, peruse staff bios, and schedule an appointment online with a click of your mouse.