Does Vitamin D Have an Impact on Your Dental Health?

If you or your child have experienced tooth decay, it’s a good idea to have your vitamin D levels checked. While more studies are needed, vitamin D supplements may help lower your risk of gum disease.

At your last dental checkup, were you told that you need to brush and floss better? Well, don’t worry, it happens to almost everyone. It’s hard to stick to a strict oral health regimen and sugar reduction. Life is busy, and you forgot to floss.

But what if your cavity or bleeding gums are part of another issue? What if it’s controlled by more than just getting your brushing, flossing, or sugar intake under control?

Vitamin D and Dental Health

In reality, your daily dental health routine and sugar reduction aren’t the only pieces of the puzzle. Along with your regular dental checkups, good oral routine habits, you need to have a healthy diet and not just a low-sugar diet.

Tooth decay and bleeding gums are two of the most common dental health issues. Bleeding gums is actually the first sign of gum disease. It’s not just a sign of your gum health but also a sign of your gut health. Studies suggest that Vitamin D plays a key role in promoting dental health and helping prevent decay and gum disease.

What is Vitamin D and How Can it Help Our Teeth?

Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D is absorbed in the body when sunlight hits your skin. It can also be absorbed by the foods we eat, such as cheese, egg yolks, fish, cereal, and other foods rich in vitamin D.

Vitamin D helps your bones grow strong because it allows your digestive system to absorb calcium from your diet. Calcium creates the hard, bony structure that makes tooth enamel. Underneath your enamel is dentin, which contains living cells that your body uses to protect your tooth’s blood supply and nerve. If your vitamin D level is low, the dentin doesn’t have enough fuel to protect and repair infected teeth.

Vitamin D Deficient

Studies suggest that children who are vitamin D deficient have a higher risk of tooth decay. The relationship between the two is relative to both deficiency and insufficiency.

If you or your child have experienced tooth decay, it’s a good idea to have your vitamin D levels checked. While more studies are needed, vitamin D supplements may help lower your risk of gum disease.