Cobblestone Park Family Dental

How to Build Strong Teeth if You’re Lactose Intolerant

Woman Drinking Milk

Building strong bones is important. Lack of attention to your diet and exercise could damage your bones and teeth. Calcium is one of the most essential ingredients to strong bones, but why is it so important?

Bones are made of connective tissue and are reinforced by calcium. So, if your calcium intake is high, it will strengthen your bones. Calcium also affects heart health, muscle function, and nerve signaling. Bones naturally weaken when you’re older, and you become more prone to diseases like osteoporosis. People often lose their teeth when they get older.

The recommended calcium intake is about 1,000 mg a day for adults and 1,300 mg a day for children. These measurements vary depending on weight and age. However, most people do not receive enough calcium in one day.

So, the big takeaway is to up your calcium intake.

Typically, when you think of calcium, the first thing that comes to mind is dairy. So, if you’re lactose intolerant, are you just destined to have weak teeth?

The good news is that there are dairy-free foods that contain calcium. There are also other ways you can strengthen your teeth and bones!

Food

Food has a significant impact on your teeth. If you’re lactose intolerant, you still have access to a myriad of foods that will provide you with the calcium you need to take care of your teeth. Not only will these foods provide you with the calcium you need, but they are also healthy, which benefits the rest of your body.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens include spinach, Romaine lettuce, brussel sprouts, collards, kale, and much more. While these foods are high in calcium, some of them are also oxalates. Oxalates are compounds that bind to calcium, making the calcium unavailable to your body. While some oxalates are still full of other nutrients, they should not be your source of calcium. Leafy greens with higher calcium content include kale, brussel sprouts, and turnip greens.

Nuts

Nuts contain a ton of calcium and other health benefits. Almonds have one of the highest calcium percentages. They also contain healthy fats and protein and help lower blood pressure.

Fruits

Fruits like oranges, pears, and blackberries are high in calcium. Dried fruits are also good sources of calcium, but they may contain lots of sugar depending on the brand. Sugar breaks down your enamels over time, which will not help strengthen your teeth.

Beans

You may not realize it, but beans contain a lot of nutrients. There are more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans. Besides baked beans, you can also eat chickpeas, tofu, and other kinds of beans to fulfill your required calcium intake.

Drinks

Food isn’t the only place where you can build strong bones.

Milk contains a lot of calcium. However, if you’re lactose intolerant, regular milk is simply not an option. 

Alternative milk like oat and almond milk contains calcium as well. While they do not naturally provide as much calcium as cow’s milk, the added nutrients are still beneficial. Recently, producers have enriched milk alternatives with the nutrients you would normally get from regular milk.

Instead of milk, there are also other beverages that contain calcium and other nutrients. Orange juice is high in calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for retaining calcium. It allows your body to absorb calcium, so you have stronger bones and teeth.

Healthy Dental & Dietary Habits

Healthy dental habits will help you maintain strong teeth. While dental practices won’t give your body more calcium, they will reinforce enamel strength. By simply flossing and brushing your teeth, your teeth will be stronger and healthier. You should also consult your dentist on what fluoride toothpaste to use. Fluoride prevents tooth decay.

Healthy dental habits also entail healthy dietary practices. While there are foods and beverages to replace dairy with, there are also foods and drinks you should limit yourself on. Overall, you should try to avoid anything that involves an excessive amount of sugar. Not all sugar is bad for you, but over time, sugar will erode your teeth

When you develop healthy dental and dietary habits, you strengthen your teeth. This is something you can do whether you’re lactose intolerant or not!

Cobblestone is Here for Your Dental Needs

Whether you’ve decided to cut out dairy or you have to due to allergies, Cobblestone is here to help. Talk to your dental professional about what foods contain the calcium you need to build stronger and healthier teeth.

Call (405) 603-8520 to schedule an appointment at Cobblestone Park Family Dental today.