Sometimes, oral health care can be really frustrating. You brush, you floss, you visit Dr. Abelar at least twice a year, but you’re still diagnosed with cavities and/or gum disease despite your best efforts. Are you doing enough? Are you somehow missing a step? It certainly seems like you’ve got all the bases covered, but no matter how hard you try, it never seems to be enough.
So, what’s going on? Well, for some people it simply comes down to genetics. Some of us are just more prone to cavities and gum disease than others. In other cases, it can be due to a poor diet, such as excess consumption of sugar, alcohol, or carbohydrates. Sometimes it’s due to the bad habit of smoking or vaping. But for some, it could have to do with a vitamin deficiency.
Recently, some dental researchers have wondered if a shortage of vitamin K2 could be responsible for causing tartar buildup in the mouth, which in turn leads to an increase in cavities. Vitamin K2 is a vitamin that is responsible for telling the calcium in your blood where to go. Unfortunately, when the body’s levels of K2 are low, that calcium can get misplaced and not diverted to where it’s truly needed.
Vitamin K2 has many benefits, including helping to boost fertility, improve the appearance of wrinkles, enhancing brain health, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, reducing the risk of cancer, and boosting energy.
Though Vitamin K2 is a lesser-known vitamin, it is still one worth looking into if you’re experiencing high levels of plaque and tartar despite taking good care of your teeth and gums. If you’re interested in trying Vitamin K2, speak with your physician to be sure it’s safe for you to take, especially in conjunction with any other medications or vitamins you may be taking.
Finding Vitamin K2 at your local grocery or discount store may be a long shot, but it is available at some vitamin stores or online, so don’t despair if you can’t find it on your next shopping trip.
Other all-natural ways to care for your teeth include yogurt or kefir, both of which contain beneficial bacteria cultures that help protect the oral microbiome from the pesky S.Mutans bacteria which is responsible for the plaque acid that causes cavities and gum disease.
If you’re interested in learning more ways to protect your teeth, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Abelar, please contact the office today!
