Australian dentist Dr Steven Lin says your oral health is not maintained just by brushing and flossing. Consumption of various crucial vitamins is the key to have healthy teeth.
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Dr Lin states that despite brushing your teeth and maintaining good oral hygiene, your teeth will remain prone to cavity and tooth enamel decay.
You can maintain your oral health better by following a good dental diet.
"I'm about to say something that might surprise you. Your toothpaste isn't that important. In fact, compared to proper dental nutrition, even brushing and flossing aren't as important," Dr Lin is quoted by Daily Mail as saying.
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These 4 important vitamins need to be included in your diet to enhance your oral health:
1. Vitamin A: It is found in carrots, yellow or dark vegetables, spinach, sweet potatoes, eggs, broccoli, beef liver, dairy products, etc.
2. Vitamin K2: This is present in salami, butter, eggs, soft cheeses, kale, cabbage, fermented dairy, prunes, green leafy veggies, brussels sprouts, spring onions, etc.
3. Vitamin D: It's found in mushrooms, fatty fish, sunlight, cereals, cheese, soy milk, egg yolks etc are good sources of the vitamin.
4. Vitamin E: It is found in almonds, avocado, broccoli, nuts, spinach, etc.
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According to Dr Lin, people are not consuming these vitamins in sufficient quantities through their modern diets and eating habits.
"Then there's people who brush and floss religiously who are confused as to how they keep getting cavities no matter how many toothpaste brands and techniques they try."
Dr Lin has been blogging about the misconceptions about oral health.
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Dr Lin revealed that lack of vitamin A will lower the saliva production in our mouth which plays a role in getting rid of injurious bacteria.
"When you aren't getting enough vitamin A, your saliva glands can't do their job and it can contribute to pits on the surface of your enamel," Dr Lin elucidated.
Vitamin D is very important for strong teeth and bones, it helps in maintaining the teeth's immune system.
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"There's actually a little immune system within your teeth, called your odontoblasts, which needs vitamin D to be activated. Your ordontoblasts are the cells of your teeth that produce dentin and are vital to tooth regeneration," he said.
Vitamin K2 plays a major role by helping in keeping calcium in our bones and away from our blood.
"Without vitamin K2, taking calcium supplements is useless. Vitamin K2 is like the traffic cop for your calcium, telling it where and when to go," he explained.
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Vitamin E helps in maintaining the levels of microbes like viruses, bacteria and fungi in our mouth by regulating the microbiome.
"I can't emphasize this enough; you must get the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals so your teeth can continue to regenerate throughout your life. Many mistakenly believe that they can prevent cavities and periodontal disease simply with good brushing habits and the right toothpaste - but this isn't the most important factor," Dr Lin said.
