Do you know why your teeth need you to get enough Vitamin D? It is true. Your teeth need you to make sure you either eat a diet that is high in Vitamin D, or that you get plenty of natural sunlight. This is because if you lack Vitamin D, your teeth will not be as strong. Your body needs a wide array of vitamins and nutrients to be healthy. One of the more important ones for your mouth is Vitamin D because of the important role it plays.
What Does Vitamin D Do for Your Mouth?
It is not that your teeth need you to go out so they can get a tan. After all, you want your teeth as white as possible, right? What it is your teeth actually need is a good dose of Vitamin D running around your body. The only way the human body can make use of all the calcium you eat is by letting your teeth and bones absorb it. However, calcium is not able to be absorbed straight. It needs help, and in this case, the helping hand is Vitamin D.
Your body takes the calcium you get and combines it with a few different nutrients to let it get absorbed by both the teeth and bones. The main nutrient it needs is Vitamin D. Actually, if your body had all the rest of the nutrients and no Vitamin D, the calcium would not be absorbed, it is that important. In the presence of the Vitamin D, your body absorbs the calcium, strengthening your teeth and bones.
How Can You Get Enough Vitamin D?
There are quite a few ways to get Vitamin D. First is simply by going outside. Natural sunlight is a great way to get Vitamin D. It absorbs through the skin. Just make sure you put on sunscreen! Another great way is by making sure your daily vitamin has Vitamin D in it. Finally, you can also get it through your diet. Eating foods like dairy foods, kale, whole eggs, fish, and cereal are all good ways of upping your Vitamin D.
Do you want a better understanding of how to keep your teeth strong and healthy? Then come in and see us. During your next exam, we can explain to you how important Vitamin D really is, and talk to you about how much you should be getting each day.
