Vitamins and minerals are an important aspect of maintaining good oral and overall health, and they can often act as anti-inflammatory supplements. When you visit our practice, Dr. John Tortora and Dr. Myrna Eskandar will work with you to ensure that you are receiving all the vitamins and minerals necessary to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Call us at 732-295-1616 to make your appointment with our dentists in Brick, New Jersey, and learn more about how vitamins and minerals affect your oral health.
Vitamin A – Vitamin A is needed in the healing process of inflamed gum tissues. This vitamin is responsible for maintaining the mucous membranes and soft tissue of the gums. A deficiency can lower resistance to infections as well. Beef, liver, milk, cheese and eggs are all good food sources of vitamin A. When taking supplements, take at meal time, as fat aids the absorption of vitamin A. Caution should be observed when pregnant women are taking Vitamin A; they should not consume more than 10,000 IU daily
Vitamin B – Vitamin B deficiencies can cause toothaches, receding gums and overall sensitivity of the mucous membranes in the mouth. Vitamin B complex supplements are best taken in the sublingual form – under the tongue – for optimal absorption. Food sources of the B vitamins include mushrooms, meat and fish.
Vitamin C – Helps promote healing of bleeding gums. Vitamin C is essential, and is one of the most reliable forms of preventing gum inflammation. Vitamin C helps keep the connective tissue, like your gums, healthy. Bioflavonoids, which are the natural pigments in fruits and vegetables, taken with the vitamin also help prevent the formation of plaque around the teeth that can lead to stains and cavities. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and it helps to promote the formation of connective tissue in the gums. Some foods that are high in Vitamin C are citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli and potatoes.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D can prevent inflammation of the gums. It also helps with the absorption of calcium and protecting tooth enamel, which is important for both the development and maintenance of healthy teeth. You can get vitamin D from eating cheese, milk and fatty fish.
Vitamin E – Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it can help with healing the gum tissues. Foods that contain vitamin E include sunflower seeds, turnip greens, tomato paste and peanut butter.
Vitamin K – Vitamin K Supports tooth tissues and prevents bleeding of gums.
Once you have the vitamins covered, the next thing to look at are minerals. You can often get the minerals you need in multivitamins as well, but additional supplementation may be needed. Here are the minerals you should consider when trying to protect the entire mouth:
- Iron – Supports healthy supply of red blood cells and prevents inflammation of the tongue
- Calcium – Maintains strong tooth tissue (along with bones) to prevent decay and/or loss
- Magnesium – Helps keep calcium in the enamel of the teeth
- Zinc – Inhibits the growth of bacteria and the buildup of plaque along the gumline
For more information about vitamins and minerals, please contact our office today.
