Sunny Smiles: How Does Vitamin D Support My Implants?

Many experts believe dental implants are the gold standard of tooth restorations because they are the only kind directly embedded into your jawbone. As a result, they have many unique advantages over alternatives like dental bridges and dentures. For example, they come with an incredibly high success rate of 95%, even up to 10 years after they are initially placed.

That doesn’t mean they’re invincible, though, and it’s only natural to want to do everything you can to ensure they remain in place. Did you know that one simple way you can support your dental implants is by raising your vitamin D levels? Continue reading to learn more about it!

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble ingredient essential for the health of your bones and muscles. Its presence allows your body to absorb calcium and phosphate from the different foods you eat. These minerals are essential to growing and maintaining a strong skeleton. That means without enough of it, you could develop brittle, thin, or misshapen bones or medical conditions like osteoporosis.

How Does Vitamin D Impact Dental Implants?

Getting dental implants can take a while from start to finish because your mouth needs time to recover from the surgical procedure. Once the titanium rods are placed in your jaw, it can take several months for them to fuse through a process called osseointegration. Essentially, as new bone material grows around the implant until they fuse together as one. This gives your restoration the added strength and stability it’s known for.

Without enough vitamin D, your body might be unable to produce enough new bone growth to complete this stage successfully. That means your implants might fail despite the high chances of success.

How Can I Increase My Vitamin D?

Fortunately, if you’re low on this vital ingredient, getting more of it into your system is relatively easy. You can eat different foods with higher levels, including mackerel, sardines, and salmon. It’s also present in egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified products like dairy and cereal. Many stores and pharmacies also carry vitamin D supplements and powders, so finding sources isn’t difficult.

You can also get your entire daily value by walking outside on a bright, sunny day! Your body synthesizes vitamin D when the sun’s ultraviolet rays interact with your skin. Spending about 20 minutes outside during peak hours can boost your levels to support your teeth.

Getting more vitamin D can provide peace of mind that you’re taking every precaution to protect and preserve your artificial teeth!

About the Practice

At Whitinsville Family Dentistry, people of all ages benefit from two dentists dedicated to helping them build and maintain their happiest, healthiest smiles. Dr. Tubo and Dr. Agnihotri offer a wide range of services to meet all your oral care needs, including dental implants. They have the training and state-of-the-art equipment to be with you for every step in the process, including the surgical placement. If you’re interested in rebuilding your smile, you can request an appointment on the website or call (508) 234-8107.