Vitamins are organic substances that occur naturally in certain foods. They are essential for the normal functioning of cell growth, development and function.
There are 13 essential vitamins. These are:-
- Vitamin A
- B- group of vitamins:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Folic acid
- Pantothenic acid
- Biotin
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Although all these vitamins are essential for the body to function optimally, the following 5 vitamins play a strategic role in maintaining the integrity if our teeth and gums (vitamins for gum health) :
1) Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin ie they need fat to be carried to different parts in the body. Excess consumption of Vitamin A results in varying degrees of liver damage.
Experimental studies have proved that a deficiency of this vitamin will result in various anomalies, including brittle teeth, failing of the glands that secrete saliva in the mouth
and heightened risk of dental caries. Additionally, Vitamin A has shown to give a protective effect against the cleft palate ( a condition that sometimes occurs with a cleft lip)
After a careful examination, if your Canberra dentist at Molonglo Dental Surgery finds a grave abnormality with your salivary glands, she may refer you to a Salivary Gland specialist.
Sources of vitamin A include milk, egg yolk and liver, bananas, oranges, apples, peaches, pineapple, nectarines (yellow and orange fruits), Leafy greens,carrots, peppers, squash, sweet potatoes (Yellow and orange vegetables)
2) Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a significant role in the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium from the gut.
The following are the adverse effects of deficiency of Vitamin D:
-enamel and dentin abnormalities.
-Insufficient levels of vitamin D during tooth formation may result in late eruption as well as tooth loss.
Because most foodstuffs do not contain it naturally, many foods, including milk and grain products, are enhanced with vitamin D.
Sources of Vitamin D (Vitamin D foods) include Sunlight, Fatty fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel) and Egg yolks.
Gums healing poorly after a certain treatment? A meticulously placed dental implant has suddenly come loose? After ruling out the obvious causes, a dentist gum specialist may deduce that this could be a result of a Vitamin D deficiency. Hence at Molonglo Dental Surgery, during the first communication with the dentist, various dietary factors and modifications are discussed to possibly avoid dental caries or deficiencies in the future.
3) Vitamin C
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen. Collagen forms the protein fraction of teeth and aids in mineralization of these structures.
Collagen plus vitamin C, are necessary for the formation of dentin, pulp, blood vessels, gingiva and other supporting structures.
Vitamin C is necessary for the repair of bone, tooth, and connective tissue throughout our life.
Inadequate intake of vitamin C will eventually manifest as
scurvy. Symptoms of scurvy include poor wound healing,bleeding gums, loose teeth.
According to recent findings, dentists diagnosed a 4 year old boy, a picky eater, to be suffering from Scurvy. Hence, at Molonglo Dental Surgery, your caring Canberra dentist, frequently advises patients for a dental check-up and clean twice a month to spot dubious tooth stains, unexplained loose teeth or frequent bleeding gums.
Fruits and vegetables with a high content of Vitamin C include oranges, berries, broccoli, and red peppers. Oranges Grapefruit Mangos Pineapples Strawberries Raspberries Blueberries Watermelon.Green and red peppers Leafy greens
Potatoes (sweet, white) Tomatoes
Cauliflower.
As we are aware, Nicotine has adverse cellular and molecular effects on oral mucosa, bone, and teeth (nicotine teeth).
Studies have proved that Vitamin E and vitamin C act as biological antioxidants with favorable effects on wound healing and bone formation.
4) Folate and B-Complex Vitamins
There are 8 B-complex vitamins. They help the body gain energy from food.
B vitamins also have a few other roles within the body:-
They help to control appetite
They aid in a healthy vision
They help to keep the skin healthful
They are needed for active functioning of the nervous system
Deficiencies in B2, B3, B6, and B12 will manifest in the mouth as a big tongue, ulcers on gums, swollen gums, rashes around the nose,difficulty in breathing and abnormally pale skin.
Mildly swollen gums or a smooth-looking tongue may not seem worrying at first. However, your dentist gum specialist and her efficient team at Molonglo Dental Surgery believe in the age old adage of ‘Prevention is better than cure’. Hence, upon noticing mild to moderate changes in the appearance of your gums or tongue, kindly call us on0262871222 for an in-depth clinical examination to rule out serious underlying causes.
Risk factors for vitamin B deficiencies include the old patients, certain medications, chronic alcohol consumption.
Sources of B-Complex vitamins are Leafy greens (spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli), Beans,Peas, Chicken, Fish and Eggs.
5) Vitamin K
Vitamin K Is a fat soluble vitamin. It assists in blocking substances that disintegrate bone and helps the body to produce osteocalcin, a protein that supports bone integrity.
Lack of Vitamin K increases an individual’s risk of fractures.
Additionally a deficiency of Vitamin K vitamin will increase the risk of excessive bleeding, which may affect patients undergoing an oral surgery or suffering an oral injury.
Sources of Vitamin K are leafy greens, parsley, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Along with deterring various vitamin deficiencies, diet counselling plays a major role in the prevention of dental cavities as well.
Your caring Canberra dentist at Molonglo Dental Surgery, understands the importance of food in preventing and generating diseases in the human body. So kindly don’t hesitate to call us for a detailed dental examination along with diet counselling, as needed.
