Children tend to have less tooth decay because of their age, but it is estimated that as much as 40 percent of kids have some form of tooth decay before they reach the age of 19. Over 90 percent of adults will develop tooth decay during adulthood. What’s the reason for this? Poor oral hygiene is often to blame, but not getting the right vitamins and minerals is also a problem.

Teaching proper eating habits early on can make a big difference in oral health. Preventing things like cavities and gum disease can start early on in life. It’s important to teach your child the importance of brushing their teeth multiple times each day, flossing regularly and keeping up with visits to a dentist or orthodontist.

Let’s talk a bit about the vitamins and minerals that play a big part in keeping teeth healthy and strong.

Calcium
Your body can choose to steal calcium from your bones and teeth if you’re not getting enough in your diet. This could lead to tooth decay in a very short amount of time.

Try to add some foods to your child’s diet that are high in calcium. This includes dairy products like cheese, milk and yogurt. Also opt for green vegetables and any products that have been fortified with calcium.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a great way to boost your immune system, which will help your oral health. Also, you can’t properly absorb calcium into the body if you’re not getting enough vitamin D. If your child is getting approximately 15 minutes of sunshine time each day, this is plenty of vitamin D for them. In the winter months, opt for a supplement.

You can also include more orange juice, fish and milk into your child’s diet.

Phosphorus
When we consume phosphorus, the majority of it will end up in our teeth. Phosphorus also plays a big part is absorbing calcium and healing tooth enamel that has become damaged. Up your child’s intake of nuts (as long as they’re not allergic), eggs, meat, seeds, fruit and soy.

Iron
The body needs adequate red blood cells if you want to have a healthy immune system. Iron plays a bit part in this process. You can very easily develop tooth decay and gum disease if you suffer from anemia, which is a low iron count in the blood. Many foods are fortified with iron, but you can also opt for natural sources like green vegetables, red meat and eggs.

B Vitamins
The entire panel of B vitamins will help provide the body with enough energy to get through the day. They also treat mouth sores and bad breath. Increase intake of leafy green vegetables, almonds and milk products.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A can naturally flush toxins and bacteria out of the mouth. It also increases saliva production, which aids in the correction of food being stuck in the teeth. Increased saliva can also help flush bacteria out of the mouth. Natural sources of vitamin A include dairy, poultry, eggs, red meat and leafy greens.

Vitamin C
You can boost the immune system by supplementing vitamin C. It can also be found in many fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C also has the ability to perk up the blood vessels in the mouth. This will help decrease oral inflammation and bleeding gums.

Potassium
Boosting your bone and teeth density through potassium consumption can be done by consuming more avocados, lima beans, prunes and bananas.

Your child may seem overwhelmed with having to consume all of these different healthy foods, but changing the routine that you use to get them to eat healthy can help. Try to mix in as many colorful foods each day as you can. If you feel like your child is lacking for a couple of days, you can use a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement to balance everything out.

For more information, contact Blalock Orthodontics.