Summer Sun Safety Month
Summer is the time of year when people spend more time outdoors. Whether swimming in the pool, floating down the river, going to the beach, or strolling in the park, summer is the best time to be outdoors.
The health benefits – both mental and physical – add up quickly the more time you spend with Mother Nature. This includes much-needed access to vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin”. Vitamin D plays an important role in your overall health and provides great benefits for your teeth and gums.
Because vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, it’s essential for healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin D has been linked to two main oral issues:
- Tooth Decay. As vitamin D plays a key role in absorbing and retaining calcium and phosphorous for bone and tooth mineralization, when your vitamin D levels are unregulated, it weakens your teeth, making you highly susceptible to cavities, fractures, and decay.
- Periodontitis. Lower vitamin D levels have been linked to periodontitis, possible because of its connection to the immune system. Though it is not fully understood, vitamin D seems to positively impact inflammation and mineralization effects on the tissue surrounding your teeth.
How much vitamin D do you need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D among adults aged 19-50 years is 15 micrograms (mcg) a day. To put that in perspective, one cup of vitamin D fortified milk contains about 2.9 mcg.
How do you get more vitamin D?
- Spend more time in the sun.
- Eat foods rich in vitamin D.
- Try a vitamin D supplement.
Summer Sun Safety Facts
- How long should you be in the sun for vitamin D? It is recommended to get sun exposure for 10-30 minutes at midday several times per week. The duration depends on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.
- What are signs of low vitamin D? Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are muscle weakness, pain, fatigue, and depression.
- Is it good to avoid the sun entirely? Complete sun avoidance is not healthy, because your body needs moderate amounts of sunshine to produce vitamin D.
You probably don’t need another reason to go outside and enjoy the sun today. While you’re soaking up some sun rays, definitely stop and think about how amazing it is your body can turn sunlight into vitamin D, which is critical for bone, tooth and gum health.
Just be sure to remember to protect your skin (this includes your lips), shield your eyes and avoid dehydration.
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