Oral Health Advice For Vegans
Veganism may be portrayed as a healthy diet but there can be potential dental related pitfalls.
It is thought that there are currently somewhere in the region of 1.5 to 2 million vegans in the UK. There is every likelihood that this number will increase given the publicity it has had in recent years, especially in relation to climate change and animal welfare issues. The wider range of available foods, including ready meals that adhere to vegan guidelines will also probably tempt more towards it in the future.
It is not our place to judge what people eat other than to offer our advice as to how it might affect their oral health. Unlike a diet high in cake and sweets, a vegan diet is generally thought to be a healthy one. There are areas though where it might also create challenges, and your oral health is one of them.
In today’s blog, our Ipswich dental team are going to take a look at the pros and cons of a vegan diet from a dental perspective to help those following this diet maintain healthy teeth and gums.
Vegan oral health benefits
Vitamins and minerals – Most vegans will eat a wider range of fruit and vegetables than the rest of us. This means that their intake of certain minerals and vitamins, and especially vitamin C, is likely to be very high. The higher fibre intake is also not only good for digestive reasons but also may stimulate saliva production which is beneficial for our gum health as regular readers of this Foxhall Dental Practice blog will already be aware
Lower sugar intake – A healthy vegan will eat less sugar than most of us, but this may not always be the case. It is perfectly possible to be a vegan and still have a diet that is very high in sugar, especially with more vegan cakes etc now available. This is something to be aware of if you follow this diet.
Reduced risk of oral cancer – Generally speaking, a plant based diet is less likely to result in cancer, and this includes mouth cancer. There is also a good chance that vegans may be more health conscious and so will avoid high cancer risk habits such as smoking and heavy alcohol consumption.
Potential pitfalls for oral health
Lack of calcium – Because vegans eschew dairy products, getting sufficient calcium can be a problem unless you find an alternative source. Calcium is essential for strong healthy teeth and insufficient intake is likely to increase the risk of cavities and broken teeth.
Vitamin D deficiency – This is an important vitamin as it improves the absorption of calcium, which may already be lacking in a vegan diet, for healthy teeth. Especially in the UK, where the sun is far from guaranteed, you may need to take a supplement or consume more foods that are fortified with this important vitamin.
Vitamin B12 deficiency – This is a well known ‘problem’ for vegans as vitamin B12 is only naturally found in animal products such as meat. It is essential for a healthy immune system and a deficiency can lead to sores and lesions of the oral cavity as well as increasing the risk of gum disease. A regular vitamin B12 supplement is essential for a healthy vegan diet.
Iron deficiency – One of the most well known potential pitfalls of a vegan diet is iron deficiency. This perhaps stems more from the days when a vegan diet was quite limited and may be less so these days with a wider range of products available. You still need to take care though as a lack of iron can contribute to problems such as gum disease.
Acidity in the diet – Although not necessarily the case, most vegans will probably consume more citric fruits as well as products such as tomatoes, all of which have a higher than usual acidity content. This can cause enamel damage and lead to sensitive teeth and teeth that are less well protected against tooth decay.
Most of the above problems can be avoided if you do your research and follow a good quality vegan diet and take supplements where needed. You should also be very aware when you buy products such as toothpaste, that these may, although not always, not contain fluoride. This is often done as a ‘health benefit’ but the fact is that non fluoride toothpaste is very likely to lead to your teeth being less well protected and anyone using this regularly should probably expect to have more fillings and extractions.
Naturally, however careful you are with your diet and your general oral health care, you also need to see one of our Ipswich dentist and a hygienist every six months or so. If you would like to make an appointment with us, for either of these practitioners, please call the Foxhall Dental Practice on 01473 258396.