With summer nearly here, you have plenty of good excuses to be outdoors. Now is a great time to work up a tan, play some sports, or just enjoy some good old fresh air. Even so, there’s another, smile-related reason you should also consider: getting outside is good for oral health! By putting yourself beneath the wide-open sky, you’ll help your smile thrive more than ever. For the specific details, just read over this summary from your local Shelburne dentist.
It’s All About Vitamin D
Before anything else, you’ll need to learn about a specific substance: vitamin D. This nutrient is key to the outdoors’ benefit to oral health, as its effects include:
Prevention of Cavities
When vitamin D gathers in your body, it helps you absorb calcium from your meals. The latter (along with phosphorus) then strengthens your smile, creating the bony structure that comprises enamel. To that extent, vitamin D strengthens the top layer of your teeth against plaque, bacteria, and other harmful debris. It thus keeps cavities from forming, as well as reduces the rate of tooth decay.
Lower Risk of Gum Disease
It isn’t just your teeth that vitamin D enhances, either. This substance does a lot to manage your immune system, ensuring your body forms immune cells effectively. The result is that you can better resist bodily infections, including those that affect your mouth, like gum disease.
Go Outside for Vitamin D
So, now you know vitamin D is great for your grin. But what does it have to do with the outdoors?
The truth is that the body produces vitamin D in response to sunlight. As the sun’s rays hit your skin, a chain reaction occurs that puts the nutrient in your system. It follows that getting outside in clear weather would bolster your smile’s long-term health. In particular, researchers believe 30 minutes of natural sunlight per day is a great source of vitamin D.
Even as you get sunlight, though, don’t assume your vitamin D levels will suddenly skyrocket. Your body’s ability to convert the nutrient will depend on your overall health.
Other Sources of Vitamin D
If necessary, you can supplement the vitamin D you get from sunlight by eating certain foods. These include the following:
- Fatty fish
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Milk
These next few months, don’t just go outside for summery fun. Get out in the sun for your smile’s sake!
About the Practice
Shelburne Village Dentistry is based in Shelburne, VT. Led by Dr. Holly Maier, our practice always aims to provide your smile with comfy and comprehensive help. We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental treatments, with results tailored to your grin’s specific needs. Our team can also provide emergency oral care on short notice. For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (802)-985-9700.