How the Sun Benefits Your Smile

Summertime is finally here! The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, all thanks to the summer sun. Whether you like to spend your time running outside, or you just like to relax by the pool, soaking in the sun’s rays has all sorts of different benefits for your body, including your smile. This is because the sun provides you with vitamin D. It is estimated that 1 billion people throughout the world are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, partially from a lack of sunlight. Read on to learn why this vitamin is so crucial for a healthy smile.

How Does Sunlight Affect Your Teeth?

When you spend time in the sun, your body absorbs vitamin D. This is important because this vitamin helps your body to regular the amount of phosphate and calcium in the body. Calcium is a mineral that’s known to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Without vitamin D, you would be suffering from an extreme calcium deficiency, leading you to experience a number of problems for your dental health. Here are just a few of them:

• Gum disease
• Underdeveloped teeth
• Tooth decay

Calcium deficiency doesn’t just affect your smile. It is linked to many other serious issues in the body, including:

• Depression
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle weakness
• Cancer

How Much Sunlight Do You Need?

The best time to head outside to soak in the sun’s rays is midday during the summer. This is when the UBV rays are most intense. By doing this several times a week, this can make a huge difference in the mount of vitamin D and calcium that your body has.

The amount of time required for a sufficient amount of vitamin D absorption depends on person to person. This is because humans have a wide variety of skin tones that absorb the sun’s rays at a different pace. People who have darker skin tones have more melanin, which protects from over exposure. Because of this, people with darker complexions require anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours more than Caucasians, who only need about 10 to 30 minutes a few times a week.

How Else Can You Get Vitamin D?

The best way to get vitamin D is from the sun, but you can also absorb it through certain foods. Here are a few of them:

• Fatty fish and seafood
• Fortified cow’s milk
• Egg yolks
• Portabella mushrooms
• Dietary supplements

Getting the nutrients you need, like vitamin D, is critical for your health. By spending a sufficient amount of time in the sun, you can help to ensure that your bones and teeth stay strong!

About the Author

Dr. Darrick Castleberry earned his dental doctorate from the Meharry Medical College of Dentistry before completing a General Practice Residency with the United States Navy. Currently, he is a proud member of the Academy of General Dentistry, Greater Houston Dental Society, National Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and several other professional organizations. He is a continuing scholar at the world-renowned Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Advanced Dental Studies. For more information or to schedule an appointment at his Louetta, TX dental office, visit his website or call (281) 320-9600.