Northern Ireland’s “four seasons in one day” weather pattern often provokes calls for mandatory sun days, due to their rarity.
Perhaps this isn’t such a ridiculous idea, especially, it seems, for our children’s teeth and bones.
Research has highlighted the merit of pregnant women getting their bumps out to soak up the sun’s rays; sun exposure has been shown to help a baby develop strong teeth and healthy bones inside the womb, which have lifelong benefits.
One study found that children whose mothers had a vitamin D deficiency during their third trimester were more than three times as likely to have rotten teeth by the age of six.
Vitamin D3, which we obtain when our skin is exposed to sunlight, is crucial for tooth development.
When a pregnant woman is lacking in vitamin D, the baby can go on to develop “Rickets Teeth”. These are teeth that have enamel that failed to form properly – they appear mottled, lumpy, and brown with micro-pits, rather than the normal smooth and white enamel.
Nevertheless, it’s not the appearance of these Rickets teeth that’s the biggest issue. Enamel is a tooth’s natural armour, and being harder than steel, it’s designed for maximum protection. A Rickets tooth’s enamel is malformed, making it weak and prone to chipping or rotting.
If you are pregnant and have gum disease, then this has the potential to be harmful to your baby.
In addition to having your teeth professionally cleaned and adopting an effective home mouth-cleaning routine, consider your vitamin D status, given the vitamin’s numerous benefits.
Vitamin D acts as a natural antibiotic against the microbes that cause gum disease, reducing the inflammation that erodes the bone that supports teeth. It also improves the levels of collagen in the gums, which hold the teeth in place.
Interestingly, adequate levels of vitamin D reduce your risk of developing oral thrush.
As well as sunbathing, you can try increasing vitamin D levels by eating more oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and trout), egg yolks, red meat, fortified yoghurts and milk, Shiitake mushrooms, avocado, spinach, kale, broccoli, sweet potato, okra and certain cheeses (cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella).
