Hello Sunshine! How Greeting the Sun with A Smile Benefits Your Teeth

As Texans, we’re pretty familiar with the sun. It’s a powerful force to be reckoned with, certainly, but you gotta admit that vitamin D is great for your mood. With a reliable sunblock brand (and a couple of portable fans), all you have to do to soak up some mental and physical health benefits is spend 15 minutes in the backyard.

It turns out that doing this is good for your oral health, too! If you need an excuse to step away from your desk or textbooks for some outdoor enrichment, keep reading.

Absorb Calcium at The Speed of Light

It won’t really happen at the speed of light, but vitamin D does help your body absorb calcium more efficiently. A whopping 99% of our body’s calcium is in our bones, so it almost goes without saying that this mineral is important for our skeleton! This includes our jawbone, which gives teeth a place to root so they don’t fall out. Once fortified by calcium’s strengthening effect, your jawbone and teeth will be more resistant to complications like decay and cavities.

Boost Your Anti-Infection Immune System

Have you heard about those studies of hospital patients who are taken outside every day? Their mental and physical health improved dramatically! One possible explanation for this is that direct sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. You can add “immune system support” to your list of vitamin D benefits. With a boosted immune system, your body is better able to fight off all kinds of ailments, including dental infection and gum disease.

Pose in Cosmetic Brilliance

Sunshine is bright, right? Whether you have chronic dental staining or not, shadows will make your pearly whites appear tarnished. On the other hand, a good angle in the sun will lend radiance to your smile. And if you’ve had your teeth whitened recently, they’ll look positively brilliant in the sun’s reflecting glow!

Tackle Oral Hygiene Motivation

When you don’t feel good mentally or physically, it’s hard to maintain routines. Well, it’s an established fact that direct sunlight can regulate and boost your mood by prompting your body to create more dopamine and serotonin. Since it also nourishes your immune system, a few minutes in the sun can help your body fight illness more effectively.

In an indirect way, sun beams encourage you to brush and floss your teeth by helping you feel better. Plus, when you see how good your pearly whites look outlined in the sun, you’ll likely want to keep them clean!

The moral here is that you should never feel guilty for relaxing outdoors on a sunny day. It’s truly amazing how absorbing as little as two nutrients can drastically improve your health and wellbeing. We understand if you’re not the biggest fan of Texas summers, though. For some added motivation to get out and strut your stuff, consider asking your dentist for a cleaning or teeth whitening. They’ll polish your pearly whites to a beach-worthy shine!

About the Author

Dr. J. Lee Pettigrew is intensely loyal to his patients. While many dentists can say that they diligently pursue continuing education, Dr. Pettigrew is one of few Fellows of the Academy of General Dentistry. AGD members go above and beyond to keep up with emerging dental technology and information by honing their techniques in a classroom setting. Basically, whether you call looking for a cleaning, checkup, or teeth whitening, you can relax knowing you’ll get quality, attentive care. To contact Dr. Pettigrew’s office, call 817-481-4888.