Will Vegan Diet Foods Weaken Your Oral Health?
Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
Vegan diet – The plant-based diet does not hold any space in exploiting animal products. Dietary products (like milk), foods prepared with cooking oil made from animal fat are also excluded from a vegan’s plate. Individuals who follow a vegan diet would take plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and so forth.
It seems an efficient way to maintain optimal health as vegans consume more fibers, less saturated fat. Researchers also found that veganism tends to improve the body’s defense activities against certain deadly diseases like prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes.
Meanwhile, it puts various parts of the body, including teeth and bone at risk due to less intake of calcium and protein a person gets from a vegan diet. If you are a vegan or planning to go for a vegan diet, this post is for you. Keep reading.
Are vegan diet foods bad for my teeth?
No, we did not say that vegan diet foods were bad for your teeth and bones.
It benefits your oral cavity also in several ways. For instance, the fibers present in leafy greens (like broccoli) act as a natural cleanser for your teeth.
The root cause of the vegan diet’s bad effect on oral health lies in the drastic reduction in nutrient intake due to the exclusion of certain foods. Here are some instances:
- Calcium Deficiency – Calcium is the essential nutrient to get stronger bones and teeth. Milk is an excellent source of calcium. Avoiding milk and other dairy products will lead to weaker teeth and bones. Aside from loosening the teeth, lack of calcium is also associated with weakening the bone mass which prevents you from getting dental implants also.
- Vitamin A Deficiency – Vitamin A is essential to keep the mucous membranes healthy and strengthen your gums. The deficit of this vitamin is associated with dry mouth.
- Vitamin D Deficiency – Vitamin D is pivotal for the teeth to strengthen the enamel layer. Lack of vitamin D increases the risk of tooth decay and gum diseases. Likewise, it empowers our body to nurture the “guardian” cells that help in repairing the damaged dentin.
- Amino acid deficiency – Amino acids naturally found in foods are powerful to break down plaque build-up and prevent periodontal diseases. Dairy products, eggs, and meat are abundant in amino acids. Apart from the oral risks, eliminating these foods will weaken the immune system as well so that the oral microbes infect your teeth and gums aggressively.
- High Sugar consumption – Needless to say, fruits contain natural sugar. Similarly, fruits like oranges, grapes, grapefruits, blueberries are highly acidic. It means enormous consumption of fruits will cause pH imbalance and makes a sugary environment in your mouth. It breeds oral bacteria to flourish, followed by harmful dental complications.
What should a vegan do to maintain teeth and gums healthy?
Your plant-based diet also provides the essential nutrients you absorbed from the conventional diet. Consult your dietician to acknowledge which nutritional components you are not getting for a healthy mouth.
Here our dental doctors have shared some nutrient-rich alternatives available in vegan diet to safeguard your teeth and gums:
- Amino acids – lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soybeans
- Calcium – Almonds, Beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, broccoli, spinach, almond milk, soy milk
- Vitamin D – Mushrooms, fortified cereals
- Vitamin B12 – Soy products, plant milk, yeasts
- Vitamin K – Broccoli, collard greens, spinach, parsley, kale
- Vitamin A – Pumpkins, Carrots, Sweet potatoes
Bottom line
As the vegan diet is made up of plant-based foods, they also hold great nutritional value. However, they are deficient in some minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants essential for teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. It is the reason why many people thought that veganism is detrimental to oral health.
Luckily, there are various supplements available in the vegan diet to absorb the essential minerals for oral cavity and bones. You have to identify those edibles and indulge them in your balanced diet.
Keep in mind that vegans have to take snacks between their meals to fulfill the body’s nutritional requirements. Such frequent snacking will tend to more food debris stuck between the teeth. Similarly, the sugar in fruits lingers on the teeth surfaces to feed bacteria. Hence the vegans should practice a good oral hygiene routine to overwhelm the dental side effects of such frequent snacking.
