Why Vitamins Matter
Fact: Human beings need vitamins and minerals to survive.
Also known as micronutrients, vitamins and minerals fuel cells and organs, boost your immune system, and support normal growth and development. They help your body heal wounds and strengthen your bones—and they are vital to keeping your teeth healthy.
But while the human body knows how to use micronutrients efficiently, it can’t produce enough of them on its own. We rely on food, water, and often vitamin supplements to keep our bodies functioning properly.
About 2 billion people experience some form of nutrient deficiency worldwide. Closer to home, studies suggest that about 31% of the US population experiences or is at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies.
So what can we do to ensure that our vitamin and mineral intake is sufficient to maintain good tooth health? Let’s take a look.
Why Your Teeth Need Vitamins and Minerals
You may already take a daily vitamin supplement for your overall health, which is great! Depending on your usual diet, you may not need a supplement to get all the micronutrients your body requires. But if you’re like most people, a supplement can help fill any nutritional gaps.
Your body can naturally produce much of what you need to keep your teeth healthy, especially if you also brush and floss regularly. But your teeth undergo demineralization daily, leaving the enamel vulnerable to decay.
Teeth become demineralized through eating, drinking, and medical conditions like acid reflux. Luckily, saliva naturally remineralizes teeth daily. Your saliva neutralizes acid by forming a protective layer on your teeth, giving calcium and phosphate time to rebuild.
Taking vitamin and mineral supplements can help your body maintain nutrient levels for proper remineralization. They can also help strengthen bone and tooth enamel and prevent breakage.
5 Key Nutrients for Strong Teeth
Basically, any vitamins and minerals that support overall health and boost the immune system also benefit your teeth. Key components of tooth health include calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, fluoride, and vitamin A.
Calcium
Calcium is one of the body’s most vital minerals. Bone holds your teeth in place. Calcium prevents bone loss in your jaw, just as it can prevent osteoporosis elsewhere in the body. Calcium also helps your muscles move, and your nervous system carry messages from your brain to the rest of your body.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiencies can lead to several oral health disorders like gum disease and cavities. It plays a key role in tooth remineralization and helps your body absorb calcium. Some foods are fortified with vitamin D, but you can also find it in oily fish and supplements.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is found in whole grains, meat, milk, fish, and other protein-rich foods, so your phosphorus intake is probably on point. Like vitamin D, phosphorus helps absorb calcium and rebuild tooth enamel.
Fluoride
When we’re talking tooth health, it always comes back to fluoride. When acids from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth attack the tooth enamel, fluoride fights back. It prevents cavities by remineralizing and strengthening tooth enamel, helping neutralize the acid that causes tooth decay.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps with saliva production. Why is that important? Because saliva is the key to remineralizing teeth. It helps break down food and clean the bacteria from between your teeth. When you produce enough saliva, you can better deliver nutrients to your teeth and gums. Vitamin A also helps stimulate the production of white blood cells and supports bone remodeling.
Do You Actually Need a Supplement?
So, how do you know when to supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals? Here are some good rules of thumb.
It’s probably helpful to add a vitamin D supplement to your diet, since most people don’t get enough vitamin D from food alone. Sufficient vitamin D levels help ward off bone loss and maintain healthy teeth. So take a spoonful of cod liver oil, or, if that doesn’t sound inviting, step outside and absorb some vitamin D from the sun!
30% of men and 60% of women are calcium deficient. You may already be getting enough calcium from dairy products, salmon, sardines, and dark leafy greens. But taking a calcium supplement won’t hurt. Kids and teens ages 9-18 need the highest daily dose of calcium—about 1300 mg helps bone formation and growth. Women age 50 and older should have about 1200 mg daily to prevent bone loss.
Getting enough fluoride is easy for most people in the US. Fluoridated drinking water and fluoride-infused toothpaste are widely available. Adults and children should be getting plenty from those two sources combined, so an oral supplement is rarely needed. Your dentist can provide topical fluoride treatment when needed.
Because phosphorus is found in so many foods, most people get enough from their diet without supplements. Normal-functioning kidneys can remove extra phosphorus from your blood. However, people with chronic kidney disease need to limit their phosphorus intake because their kidneys can’t remove it as well.
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States. If your diet is generally healthy, you’re probably getting enough vitamin A without supplements.
Is It Possible to Take Too Many Vitamins?
It is possible to have “too much” of a vitamin, but the side effects are rarely harmful unless the overdose is massive or builds up over time. Usually, the body processes excess micronutrients and flushes them out when you use the bathroom. Taking mega doses of micronutrient supplements is usually just a waste of money since your body can’t effectively use enormous amounts. Unless your doctor advises otherwise, a daily multivitamin should be all you need. Talk to your doctor and dentist about whether you should be taking supplements for tooth health.
What Your Dentist Recommends
One thing your dentist will always recommend? Fluoride.
Bass Dentistry offers in-office fluoride treatments. However, fluoride supplements are usually unnecessary if you use fluoride toothpaste and your drinking water is fluoridated.
Your dentist may also recommend taking a calcium supplement if you’re not getting enough in your regular diet. Older patients generally need to increase their calcium consumption to keep bones stronger, longer.
Strong Teeth Start With
Smart Habits
Micronutrients are essential in keeping our teeth and bodies strong and healthy. While some vitamins and minerals are instrumental in keeping your teeth healthy, you’re probably getting enough through your regular diet and a daily multivitamin supplement.
As always, we recommend regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and yearly visits to Bass Dentistry to maintain your dental health. We are happy to help you keep your teeth clean, healthy, and strong for a lifetime. Book an appointment with us today!
