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Food and Your Teeth

Just like our bodies, our teeth and gums need many essential vitamins and minerals to stay strong and healthy. In fact, to ensure proper tooth development and strength, babies, children, adults and seniors need lots of:

• calcium (e.g. yogurt, milk, some cheese, milk shakes, eggnog)
• phosphorous (e.g. egg, beef, chicken, turkey, halibut, bread)
• vitamin A (e.g. pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato, mango, spinach, broccoli)
• vitamin C (e.g. citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage)
• vitamin D (e.g. trout, mackerel, salmon, tuna, egg yolk, milk)
• fluoride

Here's why...

Calcium (with help from phosphorous and Vitamin D) is the main component of teeth and bones. It's what keeps them strong. But we can't forget about vitamin A because it's necessary for the formation of tooth enamel or vitamin C, which is essential for healthy gums.

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. In children, it works with calcium and phosphorous to help strengthen enamel, and in older adults, it helps restore and harden enamel. We are lucky in Canada that almost 80 percent of us have fluoridated drinking water.

If you have questions about whether you have fluoride in your water, please contact your local health unit.

Content courtesy of the Ontario Dental Association, 2011