What Do You Need To Know About Vitamin K2 Benefit For Teeth

Is there any relationship between having a healthy diet and practicing good dental hygiene? Yes, having a portion of good food is an important part of marinating good oral hygiene. It is necessary to get all the essential vitamins and nutrients required by your body. Also, you should limit foods and beverages that can damage your teeth directly or indirectly. Dentists in McKinney believe that Vitamin K2 one of those vitamins that can benefit your teeth and gums in different ways. Let’s find out what Vitamin K2 is and how it is beneficial for your teeth.

What is Vitamin K2?

It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is produced in very small quantities by our intestinal bacteria. That’s why we need to get it from an outside diet or through supplements. It has been found through several studies that K2 funnels calcium into bones which further strengthens mineral density. Because of its role in bone metabolism, it is believed that Vitamin K2 also impacts dental health by regulating important protein osteocalcin (the same protein is critical to bone metabolism). Osteocalcin triggers the mechanism of growth of new dentin. It is a calcified tissue beneath the enamel of your teeth.

What Are The Commonly Known Sources Of K2?

Vitamin K2 can be found in:

  • Blue Cheese
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Hard cheeses like gouda and swiss
  • Natto (a fermented Japanese food made from soybeans)
  • Pork

vitamins-k-deficiency

What Is The Recommended Amount Of Vitamin K2 In Humans?

According to the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, you can easily get the recommended amount of vitamin K2 by having a well-balanced diet. This amount hugely depends on age, sex, and other conditions.

  • 0-6 months 2 micrograms
  • 7–12 months 2.5 micrograms
  • 1–3 years 30 micrograms
  • 4–8 years 55 micrograms
  • 9–13 years 60 micrograms
  • 14–18 years 75 micrograms
  • Adult men 19 years+ 120 micrograms
  • Adult women 19 years+ 90 micrograms
  • Pregnant/breastfeeding teens 75 micrograms
  • Pregnant/breastfeeding women 90 micrograms
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What Are the Benefits of Vitamin K2?

Below are some benefits of Vitamin K2 in a dental niche:

  • Builds New Dentin: As already mentioned, osteocalcin is a K2-dependent protein. If you take a Vitamin K2-rich diet, it results in osteocalcin working more efficiently. When osteocalcin gets activated, it triggers the growth of new dentin. When new dentin grows, there are lesser chances of developing cavities.
  • Slows Tooth Degradation: Major function of Vitamin K2 is in bone metabolism. Therefore, it helps in reducing the tooth loss that occurs with age. K2 has been found to increase bone mass; that’s why it indirectly prevents tooth loss.
  • Leads to Normal Facial Structure: There is a huge difference in facial structure in people whose intake of K2-rich food items is high. There is a visible difference in face and jaw structure of those exposed to Western diets than those surviving completely on a traditional diet.

For more information on Vitamin K2 and its dental benefits, you can consult a McKinney dental expert.