There are a number of factors that can influence your oral health and the effectiveness of your dental hygiene, most importantly the food and beverages that you consume. While most of us have been warned from early ages to refrain from candy, cookies, cakes, and other cavity-causing concoctions, some people may be surprised to learn that what you eat can actually benefit your oral health, rather than threatening it. Today, we explore some of the nutrients that you should include in your diet to help keep your smile strong and healthy.
Feeding a Healthy Smile!
Calcium and Vitamin D
We can hardly speak about essential dental nutrients without mentioning calcium, which plays a double-role in maintaining your oral health. Calcium’s well-known ability to help grow and maintain strong bones means the mineral is a vital part of keeping your jawbone healthy, which in turn helps provide a strong and sturdy foundation for your teeth. Calcium is also a building block of your teeth’s protective enamel, which is the strongest and most mineralized substance your body produces. Vitamin D appears to reduce inflammation and encourage healing.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps facilitate over 300 biochemical reactions in your body, such as those that maintain nerve and muscle function, a healthy heart rhythm, and a potent immune system. By supporting your immune system, magnesium helps your body better control the inflammation that is largely responsible for the destruction of gum disease, as well as helping your oral tissues heal faster after necessary dental work.
CoQ10 and Probiotics
CoQ10 is a coenzyme (coenzyme Q10) that extracts energy from your food to fuel your cells’ biological functions, including healing. As an antioxidant, it also helps ward off harmful microbes responsible for tooth decay, gum disease, and chronic bad breath, improving your chances of preventing dental diseases. Probiotic – good bacteria found in yogurt – can help compete with pathogens that cause disease.
ABOUT YOUR SAN DIEGO LASER PERIODONTIST:
To learn how to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life, subscribe to this blog, and visit Dr. Kania for a consultation. As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania is specially qualified to diagnose and treat issues concerning periodontal tissue and the supportive structures of a patient’s smile, as well as place dental implants to restore teeth lost to dental disease or trauma. To seek Dr. Kania’s expertise, visit our office or contact us today at (760) 642-0711.