The Sun and Oral Health Connection

Our old friend the sun has a bad habit of disappearing quite often during the winter months. During the few hours of daylight we do have, it’s usually too cold to go sit outside and soak up some rays, or we’re all stuck indoors at work. When the sun decides to hibernate during the winter, our most plentiful supply of vitamin D is compromised. That’s bad news to all of us at our dental offices in Chicago Heights and Highland Park!

You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine!

The sun — it can give us a mood boost, jump start our immune systems, and keep our planet from freezing solid. Of course it has other benefits like giving us a nice summer glow and keeping us warm. Perhaps the most important thing the sun does (at least according to us!) is supply us with a whole lot of vitamin D.

It’s All About Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a pretty cool nutrient that not only helps boost our immune systems, but also can lower blood pressure, help the pancreas produce insulin, and aid in the absorption of calcium. Since we all know that calcium is crucial for strong bones and teeth, vitamin D is super important for a strong, healthy smile.

Where to Get Vitamin D

Like we often see during the winter, sometimes the sun isn’t a viable source of vitamin D. When this happens, it’s important to make sure you’re getting an adequate supply from somewhere else. Some great ways to keep up with your vitamin D intake is by:

• Eating Eggs and Fatty Fish
• Drinking Milk
• Taking Supplements

Having enough vitamin D is extremely important for your smile and your body. If you aren’t getting enough of it, you may develop a vitamin D deficiency. That’s serious stuff. In fact, research has linked a lack of vitamin D to osteoporosis, increased risk for type 1 diabetes, and even breast, colon, or prostate cancer.

No matter how you take your vitamin D, make sure you have some daily. Not just for a healthy smile, but for a healthy body. As always, regular appointments at our dental offices in Chicago Heights and Highland Park can help keep both healthy for life.

Serving patients from Highland Park, Deerfield, Highwood, Chicago Heights, Crete, Park Forest, and nearby communities.