Will the Summer Sun Help My Smile?

Unless you have a pool, you may not be spending much time outside this summer. The recent heatwave hitting Texas has led to record-breaking highs across the state. Many are thus waiting out these temperatures by cooling off with indoor ACs. However, you may want to get at least a little sun if you can. Sunlight has the power to make teeth healthier! To learn more, here’s a summary of the matter from your dentist in North Dallas.

The Summer Sun Boosts Vitamin D

You see, sunlight benefits your smile by causing the body to produce vitamin D. The latter is a substance with various health effects, including:

Calcium Absorption

As you may know, calcium helps build strong bones and teeth. Less well-known, though, is that your body can’t absorb it without vitamin D.  In other words, you can only experience calcium’s effects when enough of said vitamin is in your system. So start building stronger pearly whites by catching some rays!

Protection Against Tooth Decay

Several studies suggest a positive connection between vitamin D and tooth decay prevention. Some conclude that this is because your body can repair dentin — the tooth layer beneath enamel— when there’s enough vitamin D present. In any event, it’s been shown that the substance can lower the risk of tooth decay by 50%.

Immune System Support

It also happens that vitamin D supports your immune system and helps it function properly. This connection is complex, but there’s proof that the vitamin regulates and balances your immunity response to protect you from germs, viruses, and infections.

Other Sources of Vitamin D

Given this month’s temperatures, it’s understandable if you’d prefer alternative sources of vitamin D. The summer sun could cause dehydration, sunburns, heat stroke, and more.

That said, you can also get your vitamin D by choosing foods rich in it. Some of these are the following:

• Fatty fish (i.e., salmon, tuna, etc.)
• Eggs
• Milk
• Fortified cereal
• Orange juice
• Yogurt

Still, if possible, try getting 5 to 30 minutes of sunshine per day; that’s all you need for a vitamin D boost.

Sunlight right now comes alongside some pretty high heat. Even so, take as much of it as you can to receive the above benefits!

About the Author

Dr. Robert. E. Tafel is a dentist who works in the Far North Dallas area. He and his staff work to give families comprehensive dental services at a convenient location. To that end, his work offers preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental treatments, including emergency dentistry. He also provides orthodontics like Invisalign when needed. Dr. Tafel currently practices at Bear Creek Family Dentistry and can be reached at his website or by phone at (972)-490-1600.