Vegetarians Oral and Dental Health

Some adult vegetarians are familiar with nutrition and maintain a healthy diet by consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals and legumes to get the nutrients they need.

Some adult vegetarians are familiar with nutrition and maintain a healthy diet by consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals and legumes to get the nutrients they need. But according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an adult who eats a vegetarian diet for a long period of time can be at increased risk of gum disease (gums)

due to vitamin D and calcium deficiencies.

Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies can soften teeth over time, making them more vulnerable to tooth decay and

gum disease.However, vitamin D is naturally produced in the body with exposure to sunlight, so deficiencies are rare.

Calcium deficiency is more common but can be easily addressed through the right diet.

Children and adolescents who decide to become vegetarians without knowing enough about their nutritional needs are more likely to be undernourished. Some vegetarians, especially vegetarians who do not consume any food of animal origin, are at risk of undernutrition in vitamin B2 and vitamin B12 as well as calcium and vitamin D, according to AGD.