When people think of ageing, they often think in terms of wrinkles and hips, but the teeth do age as well. As a person ages, the outer layer of their teeth’s enamel thins, so that the yellow dentin (the principal mass of the tooth) shows through. Add to that decades of bad diets that stain or eat away at the teeth, as well as sub-par dental hygiene practices, and a person’s teeth get yellower and yellower with time. When you’re young, and you think that you’re a whiz at flossing and brushing your teeth, and toothpaste is your go-to dental hygiene tool, you do not want to hear that you may need to get dental implants by the time you’ve reached thirty. Yet, for many people, dental decay is what they get. So it’s not just regular ageing that’s a problem, many people simply have poor diets and experience dental health decline. Yellow teeth can severely impact how people perceive you. According to a study by the British Dental Journal, teeth color affects how people perceive a person’s personal characteristics. According to NBC News, employers often make instant judgments about job seekers and this typically results in unfavourable opinions about people with lacklustre teeth.
The Holy Trinity
We are often told about the wonderful properties of calcium and why it’s so good for our teeth. There are three more minerals that your body needs in order for your damaged teeth to be restored to their glory: vitamin A, K2 and D. These minerals work synergistically to support tooth and bone health, increase calcium absorption, and send calcium to the areas where it’s most needed. These are just as beneficial as having clean air provided by a Platinum Comfort Solutions A/C unit.
Vitamin K2 is needed to direct calcium where it needs to go. Having calcium is no good if it does not go to the right places. In fact, you can have too much calcium in your body and still have bad teeth, because the calcium accumulates in the wrong places! Vitamin K2 arises from bacterial fermentation and many people simply do not eat enough foods teeming with it. Take Vitamin K2 supplements, and foods such as hard and soft cheeses, natoo, egg yolks, butter from pastured cows, liver and other organ meats, and you will have the vitamin K2 you need to send calcium where it needs to go.
Vitamin A is missing in many vegan diets and even some meat-eating diets. Liver has both vitamin K2 and vitamin A. Another source of vitamin A is cod liver oil. Whether you eat liver or take cod liver oil, you should see the same result:your teeth will whiten, the surface will get smoother, you will see less plaque build-up, and sensitivity will decline.
Finally, vitamin D. Many people in the colder parts of the country and the world, simply do not get enough vitamin D. Supplementing with 1,000 to 3,000 IU of vitamin D a day, depending on exposure to sunlight, is a good idea. There is disagreement on what daily amount of vitamin D you should use, so you should speak to your dentist for their recommendation.