About ninety percent of adults in the US are affected by dental cavities and tooth decay. Lesser common gum disease is prevalent in an alarming fifty percent of the US adult population over thirty years old. Even forty percent of children (between two to nineteen years of age) have some or the other oral condition. The main reason behind these dental issues is poor oral hygiene and a lack of a healthy and balanced diet.

The foods and drinks you consume can strengthen your pearly whites or weaken and discolor them. You must understand the role of vitamins and minerals in your dental health so that you eat right. This article will tell you how different vitamins and minerals affect your dentition and what foods you should consume for optimum oral health.

Why Getting the Right Nutrition Is Important For Your Pearly Whites?

Proper nutrition means a well-balanced meal with all the components necessary for overall health. If your diet lacks vital nutrients, it can affect your body, teeth, and gums in negative ways.

• Vitamins are essential for bolstering your body’s capacity to fight off bacteria that can cause infections. 
• With a lack of nutrients, your body will not have a proper source for repairing and renewing tissues, making you more prone to gum diseases and other infections.
• Many foods and drinks raise the risk of developing teeth decay and gum diseases, such as sugary and starchy foods. Sugary and starchy food increases acid production in your mouth can erode your enamel. Your teeth become weak if your enamel is affected and is more susceptible to chips, cracks, and breakages.

Different Nutrients That Play a Role In Dental Health

Some important vitamins and minerals that protect your oral health are:

• Iron – Low iron in the body can result in mouth sores and can lead to inflammation or swelling in the tongue.
• Vitamin C – If you do not have enough calcium in your body, it can inflame your gums and result in bleeding gums and loose teeth.
• Calcium – Enamel is the strongest substance in our body, and it protects our teeth from many damages, keeping them healthy and strong. Calcium helps in keeping enamel healthy and also strengthens the underlying jawbone. If you begin to develop cavities, calcium can help remineralize the teeth in the early stages of this disease.
• Vitamin D – This is a helper vitamin that helps in the proper absorption of calcium.
• Collagen – Collagen can strengthen and remineralize all the layers of your teeth.

Which Foods To Eat To Get The Right Vitamins And MInerals For Teeth?

Eating healthy is not as difficult as some of you might think. Some foods mentioned below you can easily include in your daily food regime to make your pearly whites strong and bright. Let us see how you can add each nutrient to your food:

• Calcium – Teeth are essentially bones, and calcium is needed to maintain their strength and structure. As per recommendations, an adult between nineteen to fifty years of age must consume a thousand mg of calcium daily, and those above fifty should take twelve hundred mg. Apart from milk, other foods and drinks that have calcium are cheese, soy products (tofu or soy milk), greens (broccoli, cabbage, kale), nuts, beans, and fish with soft bones like salmon and sardines.
• Vit D – Calcium and Vit D should be taken as a pair as Vit D boosts calcium absorption. Going out in the sun is the best and easiest way to get Vit D in the body. Some fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, and mackerel have substantial Vit D. Other foods that give you adequate Vit D are portobello mushrooms, soy milk, cheese, and cereals.
• Potassium – This mineral aids in building bone mineral density, just like Vit D. You can get maximum potassium from bananas. Other sources include tomatoes, lima beans, prunes, swiss chard, and avocados.
• Vit B2, B3, and B12 – Vitamin Bs are essential for the proper functioning of many of our body parts, including our teeth. B3 or niacin helps in preventing bad breath, and B2, B3, and B12 help with canker sores. These vitamins can be obtained from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. For vegetarians, you can get a good supply of B2 and B12 from spinach and almonds.
• Vit C – We all know Vit C is excellent for our immune system, but did you know it also strengthens your gums? It prevents inflammation and other adverse conditions that can affect our gums. You can get Vit C from citrus fruits such as grapefruits, oranges, lemons, etc. Some vegetables also contain loads of Vit C, for instance, cauliflower, broccoli, green and red peppers, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage, turnips, etc.

A healthy and balanced diet is crucial for your dental health. Lack of any of the essential vitamins and minerals can cause severe damage to your teeth. Follow the tips in this article for healthy teeth and gums.