What Vitamins and Minerals Will Keep My Child’s Teeth and Gums Healthy?

A healthy diet won’t only prevent cavities due to minimal sugar, but ingesting the minerals needed to support gum and tooth health is essential. Here are some of the main minerals that help fight cavities and keep your teeth strong.

Phosphorus

Found in foods with high amounts of proteins, like beans, meats, dairy, eggs, nuts, whole grains, and seafood, phosphorus is essential to rebuild tissues and bond with fluoride to protect teeth. About 85% percent of the body’s phosphorus is found in our bones and teeth. If we do not consume enough of it, our body could pull the phosphorus from our teeth and bones to help filter out waste from the kidneys and recover after a workout. To prevent this, ensure that your child’s diet is high in nutrients and that they get their grains and proteins. 

Calcium

Our bones and teeth are high in calcium content. Similar to phosphorus, if we do not ingest enough of it our body could pull the nutrient from our bones and teeth, weakening our teeth in the process. To ensure we have enough calcium in our system, fill up on dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and milk. If your child cannot have dairy products, edamame, winter squash, calcium-fortified orange juice, canned fish, and almonds also have high amounts of calcium.

Fluoride

While it is not recommended to ingest high amounts of fluoride, brushing with fluoride toothpaste will protect your child’s teeth best from cavities. Fluoride combines with the calcium and phosphate in your mouth and creates a super powerful compound called fluorapatite. As this washes over the teeth, it strengthens the enamel. Trace amounts of fluoride can also be found in our tap water. It is not a high enough amount to harm (unless noted by the county) and can also help strengthen teeth as it washes over the teeth.

Vitamin D

To use calcium, the body needs vitamin D. We naturally make vitamin D when in sunlight, but can also get more vitamin D throughout diet. Vitamin D is found in fish, egg yolks, fortified cereals, and fortified juices. Vitamin D is essential for teeth health because the body needs vitamin D to use calcium, which keeps our teeth strong.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for gum health as it helps connective tissues stay strong. Without vitamin C, it’s possible that your gums can lose their strength around teeth, making them wobbly. The connective tissues keep your gums from bleeding too. Have you ever heard of the sickness “scurvy”? In the 18th century, sailors often succumbed to this sickness due to lack of vitamin C. Their main symptom was bleeding gums and old wounds that would open. To stay on top of vitamin C, be sure to eat plentiful amounts of fruits and vegetables. 

Vitamin A

To keep your saliva moving and your gums healthy, vitamin A is your best friend. Dry mouth is one of your worst enemies when it comes to creating cavity-creating environments. To keep your child’s saliva rolling over their teeth and washing out bacteria frequently, ensure that their diet is filled with leafy greens, eggs, milk, and fruit like cantaloupe and tomatoes. 

Iron

To properly combat sickness and disease, the body needs a sufficient amount of iron to fuel the immune system. Cold sores, canker sores, and other oral infections can only be properly fought off with foods with high iron. Fortified cereals, red meat, seafood, beans, and dried fruit are significant sources of iron.

Schedule an Appointment with Just 4 KiDDS Dentistry for Children

If you have specific concerns about your child’s mouth, gums, or teeth, please give us a call and we can address those concerns quickly. Otherwise, we can set up a routine appointment for a cleaning and standard exam.