Nourish - Caring for Your Teeth Naturally | With Supplements | Part Three
Welcome to part three of our Caring for your Teeth Naturally blog series.
Within this blog, Caring for your Teeth Naturally With Supplements, I shall be covering which supplements you could consider if you’re looking to support your dental health from the inside out.
As I said in parts one and two of this blog, the key to a well-rounded oral health routine consists of:
- a nutrient-rich diet
- healing herbs
- supportive supplements
- healthy lifestyle practices
- natural external cleaning
In part one we covered oral hygiene self-care practices and products to support a healthy mouth. In part two we covered foods to include and what to avoid for optimal oral health. Now comes part three where we shall be delving in a bit deeper into how to supplement to support your dental health.
Supplementing with Calcium
Calcium is well known for its ability to help build and maintain strong bones and teeth. But, alas, it’s not as simple as throwing down a calcium supplement and boom, you’re done.
With a healthy balanced and varied diet, you can easily get all the calcium you need. However, if you have been recommended to take calcium supplements by a doctor or medical professional I would recommend the following:
Look for a calcium supplement that is in combination with other helping nutrients, such as Vitamin D, C and K. That, along with minerals magnesium, boron, selenium, copper, zinc and phosphorus will really help to improve the absorption of calcium.
Calcium is a team player, and so you also need Vitamin D, C and K, along with minerals magnesium, boron, selenium, copper, zinc and phosphorus to support good bone health and optimal absorption.
Together these enhance the way calcium is absorbed by the body and enables it to be effectively incorporated into the bones.
Supplement:
I would highly recommend the following products to help increase your calcium levels if using supplements:
Solgar Ultimate Bone Support
Biocare Osteoplex (Bone Health Complex)
Wild Nutrition Bone Complex
Natures Plus Source of Life Garden Bone Support
Mag365 Bone Support Formulation
Note:
If you are choosing to purchase calcium separately because you already have a multivitamin complex/supplement containing minerals such as magnesium, vitamin D etc. I will then leave you with this advice.
Calcium Citrate or Calcium Chelate and other soluble forms are the best forms of calcium to supplement with for optimal absorption. Try to avoid calcium carbonate as this is very poorly absorbed by the human body. *
It’s also good to know that if you are supplementing with calcium supplements, it’s best to take them away from iron or iron-rich foods as they compete for absorption.
The best way around this is to take the iron in the morning and the calcium and minerals at night.
Up your Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an integral part of bone and teeth health due to its role in:
- calcium regulation and absorption
- preventing the breakdown of bones
- increasing the strength of the skeletal system
The best source of this vitamin is sunlight, as the body makes vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin. However, due to Ireland’s northerly latitude, this means we cannot always rely on this source, especially in winter, and so we look to food and supplements:
Supplements:
Our best sellers include Nourish Liquid Vitamin D 1000IU 30ml, Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega D3 60 Soft Gels and Better You Dlux Vitamin D 3000 15ml
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in the body. I advise you to test and retest your vitamin D levels every few months to ensure your levels are improving and don’t exceed the safe level. As with everything in the body, vitamin D levels should not be too high or too low, but just right.
Including other fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, and K2 in the diet is also important as they can help balance out the vitamin D. This makes it more bioavailable and help to prevent levels from getting too high.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential for bone and teeth health. It is required for the utilisation and control of calcium in the bones and also increases the activity of vitamin D, which as we know, is also required for calcium absorption.
Magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, so using a spray, oil or taking an Epsom salt bath is a great way to take it. However, you can also supplement with tablets or even powders.
Supplement:
Vitamin K
Vitamin K2
is crucial to preventing tooth decay and is essential for good teeth
and bone health.
It’s an essential vitamin in the binding and absorption of calcium, and
therefore wise to take alongside a calcium supplement.
As I mentioned before, it is often easier to take a supplement with all of the individual nutrients combined, since a number of nutrients are required for optimal bone/teeth health. Such as b complex, vitamin c, zinc, copper, boron, manganese, sulphur, silica, magnesium and calcium.
However, if for some reason you do not wish to take a combi-supplement, we also sell Vitamin K2 by Source of Life Garden. Since vitamin K2 is not rich in the diets of most people on the west, supplementation may be required for those at risk of weak bones or having dental problems. I would advise you speak with your dentist/doctor/naturopath beforehand if you wish to supplement.
Supplement:
Source of Life Garden Vitamin K2 Capsules provides 120mcg of vitamin K2 per each easy to swallow capsule. It is the most bioavailable form of this nutrient, as menaquinone-7, obtained from natto (a fermented soy food) and is essential to good bone health.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is essential for optimal oral health, with a great affiliation for the gums.
This vitamin is essential for the production of collagen, the basic protein that makes up all connective tissue, and this includes the gums. Gums are quite the heros of the mouth. They keep your teeth secure, protect your oral bones, and battle against bacteria on a daily basis. It’s important not to forget the health of our gums whilst we’re focused on cleaning and caring for our teeth.
Vitamin C also helps to heal and repair connective tissue, boosts the production of red blood cells and reduces inflammation. Since vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, the body doesn’t store it long-term and so therefore it must be consumed every day.
Supplement:
Mykind Organic Vitamin C Spray
Source of Life Garden Vitamin C
Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acid
A diet rich in DHA and EPA omega-3s, both through supplementation and dietary choices, can really help to maintain good gum health and even help prevent tooth decay.
Studies have also shown that omega-3s can drastically reduce the signs of periodontal disease (aka gum disease.) Should you be suffering from periodontal disease, it may be a comfort to know that omega-3s are well-known for their ability to reduce chronic inflammation and can be used as a remedy to aid in the reduction of inflammation of the gums associated with periodontal disease.
Supplement:
For those of our customers who consume meat/fish we have a plethora of fish oils to choose from.
And for those who are vegan or choose not to consume fish oil for any reason, we have you covered too.
And one final note….
Mineral Robbers
There are many things that can interrupt your body’s ability to absorb the calcium it receives, and some things can even cause calcium to be excreted from the bones and teeth.
It’s good to be aware of this if you’re taking supplements for dental health, as you could be negating their effect if unaware of the calcium antagonisers!
These are known as calcium robbers and include:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Sodium
- Sugar
- Excessive intake of magnesium and zinc
- A highly acidic diet
- High phytate diet
- Stress
- Hormonal imbalances
- Aluminium based antacids
So basically, if you’re knocking back your supplements with a big cup of coffee, a quick ciggie, a slosh of wine, or following a stressful commute to work, maybe stuffing a sugar-laden pastry into your mouth or sipping your 3rd coffee of the day, you may need to take a step back and look at your diet and lifestyle choices.
Check out parts 1 and 2 here if you missed them 😊
Emily Nöth
Any questions? Drop into your local Nourish store to chat with our expert team and explore our full range of foods, supplements and skincare. You can also find our full product range in our online store.
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*Please note that while we are knowledgeable about our products and nutrition, this blog should never be a substitute for medical advice and attention
Please remember that you should always obtain the all-clear from your doctor before starting any new supplement plan or diet if you’re on any medication
If you are experiencing any discomfort in the mouth, including teeth pain, bleeding gums etc. please consult your dentist. This information is not a replacement for medical advice.
Please note: If you are taking any additional supplements such a multivitamin, check that you’re not taking too much calcium. And don’t forget to take your diet into consideration also, as taking too much as this mineral (more than 1,500mg a day) could be harmful, leading to stomach pain, diarrhoea or far more serious problems like calcium oxalate kidney stones.
