The health of our teeth and gums depends on our diet. In addition to calcium and vitamin D, other minerals and vitamins play an essential role for teeth and gums: phosphorus, fluoride, vitamin A, B and C.
Food is decisive in our general health. Logically, it also influences the state of our oral health.
There are nutrients whose participation in the formation and health of teeth and gums is essential; These include calcium, phosphorus, fluoride, vitamin D, vitamin A and B vitamins. Milk and dairy products are a group of foods that are an excellent source of most of these elements: calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, D and B.
Nutrients for healthy teeth and gums
Calcium:
It is an essential element in the formation of bones and teeth. 99% of the calcium in our body is found in them. The remaining 1% is in the blood, extracellular fluid and adipose tissue. Calcium is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses, for muscle contraction, for blood clotting and for the functioning of the heart and the maintenance of blood pressure. It also prevents the formation of colon tumors and the formation of kidney stones.
An average amount of 1,000 mg of calcium per day is recommended. The main source of calcium in the daily diet is milk and its derivatives. There are other foods that contain calcium: cereals, dark green vegetables, nuts, beans and especially small fish that can be eaten with bones such as sardines or anchovies.
Phosphorus:
It is the second most abundant mineral in the body. It constitutes the structure of bones and teeth together with calcium. Among other functions, it contributes to maintaining the activity of the muscular system and the acid-base balance of the body.
It is found in foods of animal origin such as milk and its derivatives, eggs, fish and also in foods of plant origin such as legumes, nuts or zucchini.
Fluoride:
Taken orally, it is especially useful in the stages of life in which teeth are forming. Strengthens the structure of tooth enamel, protects against cavities and remineralizes enamel. An excess dose can alter the tooth structure, causing what is known as fluorosis.
It is found in water at various concentrations depending on the geographic region and in foods such as tea. In smaller quantities in other foods of plant origin: tomatoes, beans, lentils, cherries, potatoes. In animals: mackerel, sardines, beef liver, fresh fish.
Vitamin D:
Facilitates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
It is found in oily fish, fish liver oil, margarine, eggs, milk and dairy products. A part of this vitamin is formed in the skin by the action of the sun’s rays, hence the importance of exposing ourselves to moderate sun, especially children (they are in the period of tooth and bone formation) and the elderly (the absorption capacity decreases). digestive system of vitamin D provided by food).
Vitamin C:
It intervenes in the synthesis of collagen in the gums and the rest of the body. In addition, it intervenes in the formation of cartilage, tendons, bones and teeth, promoting the adequate formation of osteoid material and the function of osteoblasts. On the other hand, vitamin C protects the integrity of blood vessels, maintaining their adequate permeability, thereby protecting the periodontium from bacterial attacks.
It is found in well-known fruits such as citrus fruits (orange, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit), kiwi, fresh soybeans, tomatoes, green pepper, lettuce, potatoes, cauliflower.
Vitamin A:
It intervenes in the formation and development of bones and teeth, prevents infections and has antioxidant and anti-cancer functions. Its deficiency produces alterations in the structure of bones and teeth and dryness of the mucous membranes, which increases the predisposition to cavities and infections.
It is found in foods of animal origin such as oily fish, liver, egg yolk, butter, cheese, whole or enriched milk. It is also found in foods of plant origin such as apricot, melon, carrot, mango, peach, spinach, Brussels sprouts, tomato, loquats.
Vitamin B:
- Vitamin B2 : found in milk, cheese, eggs, liver, legumes, green vegetables and brewer’s yeast. Its deficiency produces glossitis (inflammations of the tongue), angular stomatitis (fissures or cracks in the skin that radiate from the corners of the mouth and sometimes to the oral mucosa) and cheilitis of the lips (painful fissures in the upper and lower lips).
- Niacin : found in the liver, lean meats, cereals, legumes and brewer’s yeast. It seems to have an important role in the prevention of periodontitis. Its administration improves glossitis (inflammation of the tongue) and atrophic tongue.
- Vitamin B12 : found in meat, organ meats, eggs, fish and dairy products. Improves glossitis. It seems that correcting vitamin B12 deficiencies improves periodontitis.
