Tips for keeping your teeth strong on a Vegan diet

Guest post by Helen

Transitioning to a Vegan diet has been gaining in popularity among people all over the world which isn’t such a surprising fact since veganism can be a great begging for a better and healthier lifestyle. While veganism can do wonders for your body, it may do some harm to your teeth. According to the dentists, some plant eaters reported that their dental health started to deteriorate. But with a well balanced vegan diet and excellent oral hygiene, everybody can have a dazzling smile.
So, here are some tips to help you keep strong teeth on a vegan diet.

Vegan dieting tips for strong teeth

True, Vegans don’t consume dairy products that are rich in calcium (but which at the same time promote calcium loss! Did you know that? Bet they don’t tell you this in all those got milk ads…) – a mineral that keeps your bones and teeth strong, and we do eat lots fruits and veggies containing fructose. So here are some vegan dieting tips for preventing it affecting your dental health.

Find the right source of Ca

Even though vegans avoid dairy products, they still get the necessary amount of calcium from other foods. As it can be found in fruits, veggies, seeds, and nuts, there’s a running list of plant-based foods that represent an excellent alternative source of Ca – collard greens, artichokes, almonds, blackberries… you name it! But, in order to make calcium work properly, you have to stimulate it with vitamins A, D, and K.

When it comes to Vitamin A, it shouldn’t be hard for vegans to get plenty of it since it occurs in numerous fruits and veggies. Preformed vitamin A or retinol can be found exclusively in animal-based food. On the other hand, plant foods are abundant in beta-carotene – an orange pigment that gets converted into the retinol inside your body. The list of plants containing beta-carotene includes squash, carrots, peppers, spinach, pumpkin, sweet potato, mango, and many more.

Vitamin D plays a crucial part in the absorption and remineralization of calcium. Apart from sunbathing, you can also get enough of this vitamin from some species of mushrooms. Due to modern indoor lifestyle, many people are deficient in vitamin D. In case you’re one of them, consider taking a liquid vitamin D supplement.

Another essential vitamin for calcium absorption is vitamin K. If you want to keep your teeth strong, make sure you increase the intake of dark leafy greens including kale, cabbage, broccoli, and spinach.

Avoid certain foods

Whether you’re vegan or not, you should avoid certain foods in order to keep your teeth strong and healthy. It’s a common knowledge that your dental health can be negatively affected by acidic and sugary foods no matter what diet you prefer. If you want to have strong and healthy teeth, you should limit the intake of these foods as much as possible.

Even though acid and sugar from fruits can lead to the higher risk of dental erosion, they shouldn’t belong to the group of foods to avoid. Instead of depriving yourself of the health benefits they have, you should balance your diet and improve the oral hygiene.

Eat a well balanced vegan diet

Whatever diet you opt for, your health doesn’t depend on the food itself as much as on the good balance of vitamins and nutrients. Many vegans believe that their diet is healthy just because it’s vegan. However, many of them are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals due to the unbalanced diet. It would be the best to pay a visit to the nutritionist and get professional advice on diet balancing.

Brush your teeth properly

Apart from the well-known fact that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day for a couple of minutes, choose a safe toothpaste that gently polishes, whitens and refreshes your teeth and mouth like thiszero-waste & Vegan DIY natrual toothpaste you can find here.

There are also some other issues to consider. For instance, it’s important to pay attention to a toothbrush and the way you use it. It’s recommended to opt for a soft-bristled bamboo toothbrush (I use these 100% recycled & biodegradable bamboo toothbrush from Organic Basics, love them!) which provides you greater control over itself.

Apart from regular brushing, you should also floss your teeth or use a picnix to get the food particles out from highly unreachable spots.

Resist brushing after eating certain foods

It may be hard to resist the toothbrushing after eating highly acidic foods. However, in this case, it can be counterproductive. By brushing your teeth right after eating acidic foods, you can cause enamel erosion since the saliva didn’t have enough time to form the remineralizing features. It’s recommended to brush your teeth half an hour after eating. In case you cannot stand the unpleasant feeling inside your mouth, rinse with water and an enamel mouthwash.

Visit your dentist

Although you can always find many tips for keeping your teeth strong on the vegan diet by yourself, it would be the best to visit your dentist and consult with them on this matter. No one can give you better advice on taking care of your oral hygiene and dental health than professionals in this field.

No matter what type of food you eat, you should take care of your oral hygiene and follow your dentist’s advice.

About Helen:

Helen Bradford is a journalism student who always seeks new ideas to write about. She enjoys blogging about beauty, health and style trends for women. When she’s not writing, she spends her spare time being active through fitness and traveling.

 

Thank you so much Helen for another interesting guest post! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post like I did, don’t hesitate to leave Helen a comment and to pin this post to share the love ♥

I wish you a love-filled day xoxo