How Periodontal Disease Can Be Prevented With Vitamin D

Beautiful teeth, beautiful smile!

Our relationship with Vitamin D and dairy starts early as we’re told that drinking our milk will help us develop into healthy adults. Later in life, we begin to understand that it helps to preserve the durability of our bones, protecting us throughout our lives from fractures and weak bones. Vitamin D has been revealed to protect more than our bones and teeth! Studies have shown that this nutrient is essential in defending our gums from the ravages of periodontal disease.

How Vitamin D Serves To Protect Against Periodontal Disease

Nearly everyone in the United States experiences some degree of gum disease during their lives. It can be identified by the common symptoms, including gums that are tender and puffy with a tendency to bleed when brushed. In a study of patients over the age of 30, almost half of them presented with some degree of gum disease. Fighting this condition is a common struggle, and if minor cases of gum disease aren’t addressed, they can develop into periodontal disease. As it advances in severity, it can ultimately lead to serious decay in the jawbone, gums, and the teeth themselves.

How does Vitamin D help prevent the advance of periodontal disease? While research is ongoing, findings indicated in studies listed in Medicina peer-reviewed scientific journal have provided insight into how it helps protect us. Vitamin D can help create and maintain an invigorated immune system that can prevent gum disease from taking hold and can help fight it when it appears. As our bodies work to recover from the condition, Vitamin D aids in the rebuilding process. That’s just the beginning:

  • Our initial defense against the microbes responsible for periodontal disease benefits from the presence of Vitamin D. Gum tissue benefits from this vitamin as it serves to block bacterial toxins that cells release when they break down. By breaking down these toxins, the nearby cells are protected.
  • Our bloodstream serves as a battleground against the bacteria that can cause gum disease, and Vitamin D is important for eliminating it before it becomes a serious problem.
  • Vitamin D also plays a central role in the health of the four tissues that comprise our oral cavity, as well as supporting bone density.

Using Vitamin D To Deflect Risks Of Periodontal Disease

While imbibing dairy products is a good start on your road to getting enough Vitamin D, a little time in the sun can be a great help. It only takes a couple of hours of week with your face, hands, and palms exposed to the sun to generate nearly your whole week’s requirements of Vitamin D. Just this short amount of time can generate as much as 10,000iu, more than sufficient to meet your needs of 2,000iu a day.

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Dr. Henry Lam DMD

DR. HENRY LAM
Born and raised in Vancouver, Dr. Henry Lam received his Doctor Of Dental Medicine at the University of British Columbia and has full-time dental practice since 2005. After joining 8West Dental Care in August 2014, he’s brought valuable experience to his patients in the Calgary, AB area.

Dr. Henry Lam DMD

DR. HENRY LAM
Born and raised in Vancouver, Dr. Henry Lam received his Doctor Of Dental Medicine at the University of British Columbia and has full-time dental practice since 2005. After joining 8West Dental Care in August 2014, he’s brought valuable experience to his patients in the Calgary, AB area.