When it comes to healthy eating for your teeth, the most common advice is about things to avoid. While limiting sugar and acids can help prevent tooth decay and other problems, it’s also important to make sure your teeth and gums are getting the right nutrition to keep them healthy and strong.
A balanced diet rich in different vitamins and minerals will benefit your oral health and overall health, but there are some key nutrients that are especially important for your teeth, and deficiencies in these can lead to a range of problems. Read this guide to the most important nutrition for oral health and contact our Gold Coast dentists if you want personalised advice.
Calcium
The best-known nutrient for building and maintaining healthy teeth and bones, calcium strengthens the enamel – the hard outer layer of teeth that helps protect them against decay and cavities. It also helps to strengthen the jaw bone and prevent bone loss, and calcium in saliva helps to neutralise acids that can cause tooth decay and erosion.
Good calcium intake is an important part of preventive oral care at all stages of life, from forming strong teeth in childhood to supporting them through adulthood. When the body doesn’t get enough calcium, the teeth and bones can be weaker and more vulnerable to damage. Beyond the teeth and bones, calcium also supports muscle and nerve functions and blood clotting.
Rich sources of calcium include:
- Dairy products such as cheese, milk and yoghurt
- Bony fish like sardines and salmon
- Leafy greens such as bok choy, broccoli, kale, mustard greens and turnip greens
- Beans, carrots and tofu
- Almonds, sunflower seeds, and nuts like Brazils, hazelnuts and walnuts
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is another vital mineral for teeth and bones that works with calcium to protect and rebuild lost enamel. Without sufficient phosphorous in your diet, your body won’t be able to absorb and use calcium effectively. Fortunately, there are many good sources of phosphorus readily available, including:
- Fish and seafood, particularly cod, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimp and tuna
- Poultry and red meat such as beef and pork
- Milk, cheese and eggs
- Nuts and legumes, including lentils, pumpkin seeds and soybeans
Phosphorus is absorbed at a higher rate from animal sources than plant sources.
Potassium
Potassium improves the mineral density of bones and teeth. It also helps to neutralise acids in the blood and prevent calcium loss. Potassium is found at high levels in fruit and vegetables such as avocados, bananas, Lima beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes, prunes, Swiss chard and tomatoes.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that plays many roles in supporting oral health. It works with keratin in enamel to help build strong teeth, with Vitamin A deficiency being associated with inadequate tooth and enamel formation. It also helps produce saliva to cleanse the mouth of bacteria, break down food and neutralise acids, reduce inflammation and fight infections such as gum disease, and supports the mucous membranes to prevent dry mouth and improve healing.
Foods for vitamin A contain beta-carotene, which the body converts to the vitamin. These include:
- Orange-coloured fruits like apricots, cantaloupes and oranges
- Orange vegetables like capsicum, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes
- Oily fish and liver
- Eggs (particularly the yolks)
- Leafy greens such as collard greens, kale and spinach
Vitamin C
Vitamin C strengthens connective tissues in the gums and other soft tissues in the mouth, helping to prevent gum disease and other inflammation. It also helps the dentin in teeth to synthesise collagen, which aids in their growth, maintenance and repair, especially in childhood. As an antioxidant, it can also protect the teeth and gums from damage by free radicals.
Vitamin C deficiency is linked with bleeding gums, a higher level of tooth wear, and eventually teeth loosening. The historical disease scurvy is now known to have been caused by this deficiency, which can be avoided by including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet, particularly:
- Citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges
- Kiwi fruit and berries
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Leafy greens like kale
- Tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Capsicum
Vitamin D
Vitamin D boosts mineral density in the bones and helps the teeth to absorb calcium, which is essential for strong and healthy teeth. It also helps the salivary glands to produce antimicrobial compounds that remove harmful bacteria in the mouth.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, around 1 in 4 Australians are vitamin D deficient, which may lead to problems such as weakened teeth, tooth decay and gum disease. Your body produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight at safe levels, and good food sources include:
- Fatty and oily fish like herring, mackerel, salmon and tuna
- Red meat
- Egg yolks
- Portobello mushrooms
- Vitamin D fortified foods, including breakfast cereals, dairy products and orange juice
Vitamin K
Vitamin K activates a protein in the blood that helps calcium to be deposited in the bones and teeth, assisting with their growth and maintenance. It’s also involved in the production of cytokines that help the body to fight infections such as gum disease. Vitamin K deficiency can lead to oral health problems and affect healing times following injuries and dental procedures.
Sources of vitamin K include:
- Leafy greens such as collards, kale and spinach
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Parsley
Other nutrition for oral health
While neither a vitamin or mineral, fibre is another important nutrient for maintaining good oral health. Crunching on high fibre fruits and vegetables like apples and carrots helps to scrape plaque off teeth naturally. Fibre also helps to stimulate saliva flow, which cleanses food particles and bacteria from the teeth and helps to neutralise plaque acids.
It’s also important to drink plenty of water. Not only does this help to keep your mouth hydrated and cleansed, but fluoridated water also helps to protect the teeth against decay and cavities. Most local water supplies in Australia contain fluoride, which is managed at safe levels and proven to improve the oral health of communities with no adverse health effects.
Do I need to take supplements?
Generally, a balanced diet across the food groups that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will give your body and your teeth all the nutrition they need, and whole foods are considered better sources of nutrients than supplements. However, some people may benefit from taking supplements if they’re found to be lacking in certain nutrients that may impact on their oral health or overall health.
You should talk to your doctor or dentist before taking any supplements or making radical changes to your diet, as they can advise you about the best options for your individual needs. This is especially important if you’re taking any prescription medications, as some dietary supplements may interact with these or have other adverse effects.
Food and drinks to avoid
When you’re choosing nutritious items for your diet, it’s also important to cut down on those that are bad for your teeth and your general health. Sugary snacks like lollies, cookies and cakes and other snacks like chips are empty-calorie foods that can also cause tooth decay and damage your teeth. Sugary drinks can be just as damaging, and the acid they contain can contribute to tooth erosion.
Dried fruits like raisins can also be damaging to teeth, despite their nutritious content, as they can stick to tooth surfaces and expose them to sugar for longer periods. Other nutritious foods like citrus fruits and tomatoes contain acids that can affect tooth enamel, but their effects can be reduced when they’re eaten as part of a meal and rinsed away by sipping water. When cooking vegetables, steaming or sauteing for a shorter time will help them hold on to more nutrients than boiling.
Protecting your teeth
When you consume food or drink containing sugar or starch, some of this is left behind on the surfaces of your teeth, where it feeds bacteria. These bacteria convert the sugar into acid that’s released on the tooth surfaces, weakening and eroding the enamel – the process of tooth decay. The more of these foods and drinks you consume, the faster teeth will decay, eventually forming cavities or leading to further problems like gum disease.
You can prevent this by:
- Limiting the amount of these foods and drinks you consume
- Not snacking throughout the day
- Brushing your teeth twice a day using fluoride toothpaste
- Flossing or cleaning between your teeth and around the gumline once daily
- Drinking plenty of water
- Visiting a dentist every 6–12 months for a check up and oral hygiene treatments
Talk to a dentist on the Gold Coast
If you want advice about healthy eating for your teeth and gums or you’re due for a check-up, call our friendly team at Robina Town Dental today on 07 5575 9100, or book an appointment online.
Our Gold Coast dental clinic is located in Robina Town Centre and we welcome patients from all areas nearby, including Burleigh Heads, Mudgeeraba, Miami, Varsity Lakes, Burleigh Waters, Merrimac, Mermaid Waters, Worongary and Clear Island Waters.