What we eat directly impacts our mouths in terms of acidity and bacteria due to the pH of our
saliva, which nourishes teeth. However, what we eat also indirectly affects our mouths through
the nutrients we absorb from the food we consume.

So what are you waiting for? You can give your smile a boost with the following eating habits to
nourish both smile and body for life!

Getting Enough Protein

Protein is an essential building block for just about everything in your body—from bones and
muscles to hormones and enzymes, your body needs protein.

However, your smile needs protein too. This is because protein plays a key role in healing
tissues of the body. This includes the connective tissue in your mouth as well as your tooth
structure. Protein can support a healthy smile through proper consumption.

Good sources of protein include chicken, fish, eggs, grass-fed beef, and yogurt. For plant-based
diets, beans, nuts, seeds, quinoa, and tofu are all excellent sources.

Eating Foods with Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are both essential nutrients that might help strengthen your tooth
enamel, which is made of mostly calcium. Calcium pairs with vitamin D to help tooth enamel,
the immune system, and connective tissue.

Good sources of calcium include yogurt, cheese, and milk, while plant-based sources include
kale, tofu, almonds, and broccoli. For vitamin D, fish is one of the highest sources, especially
salmon and sardines, along with milk and eggs. Vegan sources include mushrooms, tofu, and
fortified almond and soy milk.

Don’t Forget Your Vitamin C

An essential vitamin for immune system function, it also helps with collagen (think anti-aging)
and this component of vitamin C helps the ligaments that hold your teeth in place. Your
immune system also plays an essential role in fighting gum disease!

Good sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, kiwi, oranges, and
strawberries. Remember that while fruit juices are also high in vitamin C, these juices can be
just as damaging to your tooth enamel as soda, so minimize sugary juices without the fiber.

Omega-3 Fats

Fortunately, these healthy fats are included in some of the other foods we discussed. Omega-3
fatty acids help your body with an anti-inflammatory response to help support the immune
system, decrease inflammation, and fight bacteria all while supporting the connective tissue in
your mouth.

Great sources include fish (mackerel and salmon are the highest), tuna, anchovies, and egg
yolks. Plant-based sources include walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocado, and hemp seeds.

Are you eating for a super smile? Impress your dentist at your next checkup by nourishing both
your body and your smile with these healthy eating habits. Simply by getting enough protein,
calcium, and healthy fats in conjunction with essential vitamins D and C, you can help your
smile remain strong and beautiful for life!

The post Eating Habits That Will Promote Your Oral Health appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Inhibit Tooth Decay

Tooth decay can eventually lead to loss of your teeth, which is something that can happen if you’re not getting enough calcium and vitamin D. While our teeth are not strictly bones, they are made up of both hard and soft tissues that need to be nourished with vitamins and minerals. Tooth decay can result in the loss of some of the harder tissues on our teeth, therefore leading to infection and eventually tooth loss. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can help you prevent tooth decay.

Help Decrease Inflammation

Vitamin D has been shown to be a big helper when it comes to keeping inflammation down in your mouth. Periodontal disease, or gum disease, can lead to inflammation that involves your gums turning red, pulling back from your teeth, and bleeding. Vitamin D is an important vitamin in keeping your gums healthy, but vitamin D also has another role—promoting calcium absorption. You should try to get calcium and vitamin D together in order to reap the full benefits. Good sources of vitamin D include sunlight, fatty fish such as salmon, and dairy.

Keeps Bones Strong

The amount of calcium in the body, so vital for bones and teeth, tends to decline as we age, so many people will end up taking a supplement rather than just trying to get all their calcium from foods. When your bones are strong, particularly the bones in your jaw, your teeth will be better supported. The bones in your jaw help to hold your teeth in place, so it’s important that these bones remain healthy so that they provide adequate support for your teeth. Bone loss will affect your smile, so keep this in mind as you go through life. Great sources of calcium include dark green leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, and dairy.

Healthy Body, Healthy Mouth

Calcium and vitamin D also play a range of other roles when it comes to our overall health. Calcium not only keeps bones strong, but also helps with nerve communication, muscle cramps, blood clots, and maintaining a regular heartbeat. Calcium needs vitamin D to be absorbed properly and to keep levels up in the body. Vitamin D has been found to help bones as well as depression, autoimmune disorders, and certain cancers. When you tend to your body’s health, you also tend to your mouth health. By keeping your body supplied with enough calcium and vitamin D, you can ensure your smile is getting all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Calcium and vitamin D are vital for your healthy smile! By building up bones, preventing tooth decay and gum disease, decreasing inflammation, and keeping your nerves all communicating accurately, this important vitamin and mineral combination can do wonders for your smile.

The post Calcium and Vitamin D for Healthy Smiles appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Vitamins B and C

Vitamin B deficiency can affect everything from canker sores to bad breath to a burning feeling in the mouth. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to bleeding gums and infections in the mouth. People with vitamin B deficiency may also have trouble swallowing or a sore tongue. B vitamins that are important include vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12. To get more vitamin B in your diet, you can eat avocado, potatoes, bananas, and eggs. If you want to take a supplement, be sure to take a B supplement that includes all of these B vitamins. People with vitamin C deficiency may also have trouble fighting off infections once they happen. To get more vitamin C, focus on peppers, dark green veggies, carrots, or fruits like strawberries and kiwi.

Vitamin D, Calcium, and Magnesium

It’s commonly known that vitamin D helps with strong bones and good quality of the bones, and our teeth and jaw are made from bone! To decrease risk of fractures, tooth loss, loose teeth, and bleeding gums, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D and calcium. Eating fatty fish, getting enough sunlight, and eating dairy can all be good sources of these vitamins. Be careful when consuming dairy though—your mouth turns the dairy into lactose, which is just another form of sugar. When this sits on your teeth, it can cause damage like cavities.

Magnesium deficiency can cause inflammation of the gums and is important to take with vitamin D and calcium for proper absorption in the body. This can be taken as a supplement as well or it can be eaten in foods such as broccoli, almonds, and kale.

Iron and Zinc

Iron deficiency can cause swollen tongue and sores in the mouth. Iron-rich foods include dark leafy greens such as spinach, also beans and pumpkin seeds. Zinc is an important mineral that can cause loss of feeling in your tongue, loss of taste, or dry mouth. Zinc is essential for both men and women as it helps both sexes stay fertile, and can have other great benefits for the body such as keeping our skin clear and our immune systems in top form. Get zinc from foods such as tomato juice, spinach, and lentils.

Knowing about your vitamin and mineral consumption is important for keeping your dental health on track. Nutrients play a vital role in our mouth just as they do in the rest of our bodies. Keep these vitamins as an important part in your diet, and when you can’t get them from foods, find a high-quality supplement to take.

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