Dental implants have a very high success rate, as much as 98% in some studies. However, about half of all implant failures occur because the implant failed to integrate with the bone. To try to avoid this problem, it’s important to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs to build good bone around the dental implants.
Hopefully you know to get calcium, but there are many other nutrients you need to have healthy bones. Here’s a list of the vital nutrients for dental implant healing, and how to make sure you get them.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a dual-edged sword. It’s important to get enough of it–and 45% of Americans don’t–but if you get too much, you can actually experience problems with your dental implant. Vitamin A helps stimulate the production of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.
It’s important for your body to break down old bone around the implant before building new bone, so you want to make sure you have enough, but too much can stimulate bone loss and prevent healing of the bone.
The solution is to make sure that you’re getting most of your vitamin A as beta-carotene, which the body can turn into vitamin A on demand, but doesn’t have the same toxic side effects. Orange root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, while liver is a good source of vitamin A.
Vitamin B
There are actually three different types of vitamin B that help your body grow bones. They help control the levels of homocysteine in the blood, which is linked to bone problems.
Vitamin B6 and B12 are commonly found in most meats, which is why vegans are at the highest risk of having a vitamin B deficiency, although nearly 50% of people don’t get enough of this vitamin. Vegan sources include fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and soy milk. Vitamin B9 is commonly found in dark green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body utilize the essential element calcium. It is the only vitamin our bodies can actually produce, but they need sunlight to do it. Since it’s harder than ever to get all the sunlight we need for our bodies to make enough vitamin D, you should make sure you are getting enough of this in your diet. Fortified dairy products often have vitamin D in them, but you can also select fatty fish, liver, and mushrooms to help you get your vitamin D.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K works together with vitamin D to help your body utilize calcium. If you don’t have enough vitamin K, you are more likely to develop low bone density (osteoporosis).
It’s handy that liver is a good source of vitamin K as well as vitamin D and A. But you can also increase your intake by eating more dark green leafy vegetables or drinking more green tea. However, vitamin K is fat soluble, so it doesn’t dissolve in water and only trace amounts are found in brewed tea. If you want to get the vitamin K, you need to consume the tea leaves, which is only common if you drink matcha, which is powdered and easy to consume along with your tea. Even then, however, it only contains a fraction of the vitamin K found in kale or collard greens.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is another key nutrient in building bone. Most people don’t get enough phosphorus, so it is important to pay attention to your intake. Phosphorus is common in poultry and fatty fish like Atlantic salmon, but it’s also found in nuts and lentils. There are risks related to consuming too much phosphorus. However, these usually only affect people with kidney problems or if your body cannot regulate its calcium levels.
Considering Dental Implants in Columbia, SC?
Are you considering dental implants or implant dentures? If so, we can help. Please call (803) 781-9090 today for an appointment with implant dentist Dr. Adam Hahn at Smile Columbia Dentistry.
