Maintaining a healthy mouth isn’t just about brushing, flossing, and scheduling regular check-ups with your dentist. The vitamins and minerals you consume also play a role in the wellness of your smile! Explore vitamins and minerals your mouth needs, and how to get them through food, in this blog post.
Calcium
Calcium is a crucial mineral for maintaining healthy teeth and gums because your teeth and jaw bones are mostly made up of the substance. To increase your consumption of calcium, consider taking in more dairy products. Other sources of food that are rich in calcium include sardines, leafy vegetables, broccoli, almonds, and orange juice.
Potassium
Potassium fights against the weakening of the jaw and is also essential for blood clotting. For those of you who experience gum bleeding, potassium ensures blood clots will form efficiently to heal the wound.
Bananas are the best source of potassium. Also consider tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and cheese as additional sources.
Vitamin D
This nutrient regulates the calcium levels in your bloodstream. In order to get your fill of vitamin D, spend an hour of time in the sunshine every week. For those of us who lack sunlight as winter approaches, vitamin D can also be found in fatty fish, orange juice, milk, and mushrooms.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A keeps the mucous membrane of your mouth healthy. The mucous membrane coats your gums and cheeks to make them less prone to disease and also prevents dry mouth by increasing saliva production. Find vitamin A in carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, oranges, pumpkin, and egg yolks.
Set yourself up for a healthy smile by consuming vitamins and minerals that keep your mouth healthy. If you find that it is challenging to be conscious of the above nutrients when planning meals and shopping, discuss supplements you can take with your dentist.
