Vegan Diet And Teeth: Remineralizing Strategies For Oral Health

A vegan diet can be highly beneficial for your health, but it's important to ensure you're getting all the right nutrients to maintain strong oral health and prevent tooth decay. Here's a guide to help you understand the key considerations for keeping your teeth healthy on a vegan diet.

How to Remineralize Teeth on a Vegan Diet

Eat calcium-rich foods like beans, legumes, leafy greens, and almonds

Calcium is essential for maintaining strong and healthy teeth. While calcium is abundant in dairy products, there are also plenty of vegan sources of this mineral. Here are some calcium-rich foods that can help vegans meet their daily requirements:

Beans and Legumes

Beans, peas, and lentils are excellent sources of calcium. They are also rich in other nutrients like fibre, protein, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and folate. Black-eyed peas and lentils, in particular, are good choices for vegans looking to increase their calcium intake. Soaking, sprouting, and fermenting beans and legumes can reduce antinutrient levels, making the calcium in them more absorbable.

Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, and broccoli are rich in calcium. However, some of these vegetables, like spinach, contain high levels of oxalates, which can bind to calcium and reduce its absorption. Cooking methods like boiling can help reduce oxalate levels.

Almonds

Almonds are one of the best plant-based sources of calcium among nuts. A quarter cup of almonds provides 96 mg of calcium. They are also a good source of healthy fats, fibre, protein, magnesium, manganese, and vitamin E.

Calcium-Fortified Foods and Drinks

Fortified foods and drinks are another way for vegans to boost their calcium intake. Some plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy milk, rice milk, and almond milk, are fortified with calcium. Calcium-fortified orange juice is also an option. Additionally, some cereals, flour, and cornmeal are fortified with calcium, which can be found in products like bread, crackers, and tortillas.

Consume vitamin D-rich foods like fortified cereals and mushrooms to aid calcium absorption

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and bones. It helps your body absorb calcium, which is crucial for strengthening tooth enamel and building strong teeth. While many vitamin D-rich foods are not vegan-friendly, there are some excellent plant-based sources to choose from. Here are some ways to consume vitamin D-rich foods to aid in calcium absorption and promote dental health on a vegan diet:

Fortified Cereals

Fortified breakfast cereals are an excellent source of vitamin D for vegans. Many popular breakfast cereals and oatmeal brands are fortified with this nutrient. Vitamin D-fortified cereals typically list the vitamin's content in their nutritional information. The amount of vitamin D in fortified cereals can vary between brands, with most containing between 0.2 to 2.5 micrograms (8 to 100 International Units or IU) per serving.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of the few non-animal sources that contain a significant amount of vitamin D. They are the only edible plant source of vitamin D. Wild mushrooms and those exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light during growth can provide between 154 and 1,136 IU (3.8 to 28 micrograms) of vitamin D per 3.5 ounces (100-gram) serving. Mushrooms contain vitamin D2, while animal products contain vitamin D3. Research suggests that vitamin D2 can still raise vitamin D levels in the body, even if it may not be as bioavailable as vitamin D3.

When shopping for mushrooms, look for those exposed to UV light, as they are more likely to have higher vitamin D content. You may find these at your local health food store or farmer's market. Portobello, maitake, morel, button, and shiitake mushrooms are thought to be the best varieties for vitamin D content.

Fortified Plant-Based Milk

Fortified vegan milk, such as coconut, almond, soy, and rice milk, can be excellent sources of vitamin D. Check the labels to ensure your plant-based milk contains added vitamin D. For example, fortified almond milk contains about 2.4 micrograms (96 IU) of vitamin D per serving. Some brands of rice milk are also fortified with other nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin B12.

Fortified Orange Juice

Not all orange juices are fortified with vitamin D, but those that are can provide up to 2.5 micrograms (100 IU) per serving. Juices fortified with vitamin D will typically mention this on their packaging.

Sun Exposure

While not a food source, spending time in the sun is a great way for vegans to boost their vitamin D levels. Exposing your skin to sunlight allows your body to produce vitamin D naturally. For most people, 10 to 30 minutes in the sun, three times a week, is sufficient. However, remember to practice safe sun exposure and avoid excessive sun exposure, as it can increase the risk of skin cancer.

In summary, consuming vitamin D-rich foods like fortified cereals, mushrooms, and plant-based milk, along with spending time in the sun, can help vegans increase their vitamin D intake. This, in turn, aids in calcium absorption, promoting stronger teeth and overall health.

Get potassium from avocados, bananas, and sweet potatoes to control acid levels

Avocados, bananas, and sweet potatoes are rich sources of potassium, an essential mineral and electrolyte that helps maintain normal blood pressure, transports nutrients into cells, and supports healthy nerve and muscle function. Potassium also plays a significant role in the function of the heart, kidneys, muscles, and nerves.

A diet high in potassium-rich foods and low in sodium may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium helps control acid levels in the blood, preventing excess acid from causing calcium loss in teeth and bones.

Avocados are a good source of healthy fats, vitamin K, and folate. Half an avocado provides 345 mg of potassium, or 7% of the daily value (DV). Avocados may also benefit individuals with high blood pressure due to their low sodium content.

Bananas are often associated with potassium, and one medium banana contains about 451 milligrams. Their close cousins, plantains, have even more, with 663 mg per cup.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is critical for vision. They also offer a small amount of protein and are a good source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. A 1-cup serving of mashed sweet potato provides 16% of the DV for potassium.

Incorporating these potassium-rich foods into your diet can help control acid levels in the blood, supporting oral health and preventing tooth decay.

Take vitamin B12 supplements to prevent gum disease and tooth loss

Vitamin B12 is one of the most common deficiencies in the Indian population, often going undetected. This is especially true for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet, as vitamin B12 is predominantly found in animal products. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to dental issues and tooth loss.

Vitamin B12 is important for healthy blood cells and wound healing. A deficiency can increase your risk of gum disease and tooth loss. A recent study showed that people with low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood were more likely to suffer from periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease. Those with lower vitamin B12 levels also experienced more severe periodontitis symptoms, such as greater gum pocket depth.

Good dietary sources of vitamin B12 include milk, fish, and vitamin B12-fortified foods. However, if you follow a vegan diet, you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement to ensure you are getting enough of this important nutrient. The Vegan Society provides helpful advice on recommended dosages.

In addition to taking supplements, you can also reduce your sugar intake to increase the amount of vitamin B12 in your blood, as the body uses B12 when metabolising sugar.

Snack on healthy foods like nuts, seeds, and tofu to avoid tooth decay

Remineralizing teeth on a vegan diet can be achieved by snacking on healthy foods like nuts, seeds, and tofu. Nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and pistachios are excellent sources of healthy proteins and fats. However, due to their hardness, they can chip teeth if consumed improperly. To reduce the risk of dental damage, nuts should be softened in olive oil or consumed slowly, one at a time. Alternatively, nut butters or powders that can be mixed with water are a great way to include nuts in your diet while minimizing the risk of tooth damage.

Small seeds, such as caraway and sesame seeds, can get stuck between teeth and under the gums, leading to painful abscesses. Therefore, it is important to follow their consumption with water and brush your teeth soon after. However, larger seeds like pumpkin seeds are a great source of phosphorus, which helps restore tooth enamel. Lentils are another vegan source of phosphorus, along with soybeans, which are also a source of arginine, an amino acid that aids in preventing gum disease and breaking down dental plaque.

Tofu, a soy product, is another excellent food choice for vegans looking to remineralize their teeth. It is rich in phosphorus, which is crucial for protecting tooth enamel. Additionally, tofu is being explored as a potential biomaterial for combating periodontal disease and mending bones. The de-fatted soybean curds in tofu actively encourage new bone growth, have low immunogenicity, and are biodegradable. This makes tofu a promising material for dental implants, providing a more natural alternative to artificial substitutes.

In conclusion, snacking on nuts, seeds, and tofu can be a healthy and effective way for vegans to avoid tooth decay and promote dental health. However, it is important to be mindful of the potential dental risks associated with certain types of nuts and seeds and consume them in a way that minimizes the risk of damage.

Frequently asked questions