Did you ever think there is a connection between how you breathe and how your teeth grow? And did you know allergies and vitamin A deficiency can influence both?

Yes, it is essential to note that nasal breathing is closely connected to proper upper teeth development. Unfortunately, if you have allergies, it can inhibit your breathing patterns. It results in abnormal dental growth.

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With – 1 in every 5 Americans who suffer from allergies have these problems. When your nasal sinuses are clogged with mucus, it makes it difficult for you to breathe properly. Instead of breathing through the nose, you may start breathing more through your mouth. This is known to cause crooked teeth.

Did you ever realize your kid’s allergies could be the root of their crooked teeth. But remember that it is an important connection to make.

Luckily, vitamin A helps combat allergies and make the mouth develop properly in a child. Hence you should take a closer look at the importance of this vitamin  in oral development.

Vitamin A For Your Teeth and Gums

Remember that this vitamin is a good one for your eyes and skin. It is also suitable for your oral health. It will help your body take in protein and calcium and help stimulate saliva production. Saliva production is necessary as it keeps bacteria at bay and promotes faster healing. If there is not enough saliva in your mouth, it may lead to a dry mouth

Vitamin A 4 You will find this vitamin mostly in orange-colored foods like carrots, oranges, pumpkins, etc. Even egg yolk and green vegetables.

What Happens When You Have Allergies?

An allergy occurs when your immune system reacts to a trigger or an allergen. The allergen could be pollen, mold, or animal dander. When you come into contact with a trigger – your body naturally starts producing a protein called IgE.

After that, histamine and other chemicals secret into your blood, causing symptoms like watery eyes and nasal congestion. These cause inflammation and blockage of your nasal passageways. It ultimately makes breathing difficult and could lead to poor dental development.

Vitamin A: The Immunity Booster

Do you know that vitamin A and allergies are linked via their important roles, especially in innate and adaptive immunity? Innate immunity is our body’s first line of nonspecific, immediate defense against foreign substances. The foreign substance could be pathogenic microorganisms too.

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It is essential to understand that Innate immunity consists of specific anatomical barriers to infection. You can think of it as an army protecting you from invaders that you are born with. It is your innate immunity.

Next, the line of defense is your adaptive immunity or acquired immunity. It is your body’s second line of defense against pathogens. This system takes several days or weeks to develop. The reason being it involves antigen-specific responses and immunologic memory. Remember that it is a secondary army that is trained by your body, like special forces.

With innate immunity- the skin and mucosal cells of your eye and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts act as a barrier to infections. The vitamin is required as it will help maintain those mucosal cells’ functional and structural integrity.

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Vitamin A can also play a vital role in the normal function of several types of immune cells. The vitamin is critical to innate immunity, such as natural killer cells, neutrophils, and macrophages.

In case of adaptive immunity, Vitamin A is equally important. Vitamin A helps ensure the proper functioning of these cells that facilitate adaptive immunity like T and B lymphocytes. Vitamin A may also promote the generation of antibody responses to specific antigens.

Remember that your innate and adaptive immunity needs proper tools to fight off invaders that may make you feel uncomfortable and sick. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that could be added to your arsenal to protect against inflammation and other similar symptoms.

Vitamin A Deficiency and Immunity

Studies show that vitamin A deficiency can affect both innate and adaptive immunity. Moreover, researchers have found that vitamin A deficiency can affect innate immunity significantly. Vitamin deficiency can impair the normal regeneration of mucosal barriers damaged by infection.

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It is important to note that efficiency reduces the function of macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells. Vitamin A also affects your body’s adaptive immunity and plays a vital role in developing helper T cells and B cells. You need to understand that deficiency can lessen the antibody-mediated responses directed by Th2 cells. Some aspects of Th1-mediated immunity may also be impaired.

Do you know that vitamin A deficiency has become a significant public health concern globally? It is all the more concerning in developing nations. Both experimental animals and several studies have revealed that Vit A deficiency could lead to immunodeficiency. It leads to an increased risk of infectious diseases.

Why is Vitamin A So Important?

Studies have shown vitamin A supplementation which could enhance immunity. In one mouse study – the researchers found that once they are exposed to vit A in the womb – it could influence the immune system development. Meaning they develop a lifelong ability to fight infections.

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Researchers also found that vit A could help boost the immune system to fight tuberculosis as it could lower the amount of cholesterol in TB-infected cells. Vit A supplements can also reduce infection-related morbidity and different types of mortality associated with its deficiency.

These supplements can decrease the risk of all-cause mortality by 24 percent in children. Reduced risk of mortality? Yes, now that is the case for vit. Make sure your loved ones are getting plenty of this vit.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin A?

You can quickly check your vita levels through a blood test. Your typical values range from 50 to 200 micrograms per deciliter.

It is important to note that vit supplements can significantly help you if you are deficient. But at the same time, they can have adverse effects if your levels are acceptable. Therefore, a balance in vit levels is key for optimal immunity – meaning too much of the vit could harm your body’s trained immunity.

How Much Vitamin A Do You Need?

How much of this vit you need depends on factors such as your gender, age, pregnancy, and overall health. Your doctor is the right person to advise you about the correct dose.

Where Can You Find Vitamin A?

There are two different types. Pre-formed vitamin A is the first and is usually found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. In contrast, pro-formed vit A is the second kind. It is primarily found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products. Beta-carotene is the most common type of provitamin A in foods and dietary supplements.

Therefore, it is recommended that you take both types of vitamins. 

What Are Some Food Sources of Vitamin A?

This vitamin is found naturally in many foods. Some common food items, such as milk and cereal, are often fortified. However, your doctor would recommend getting your vit from sources of pre-formed vitamin A. It is important to note that pre-formed vitamin A is more readily available for your body to use than pro-formed vitamin A.

Vitamin-rich food items include beef liver and cod liver oil. It also includes certain types of fish, such as salmon. Even grass-raised dairy like milk, yogurt, cheese, and butter. Leafy, green vegetables and other orange and yellow veggies like broccoli, carrots, and squash are rich in this vit. It also includes fruits like cantaloupe, apricots, and mangos. Do not forget fortified dairy products and breakfast cereals.

What About Vitamin A Supplements?

Your doctor would recommend you get enough preformed vitamin A from your diet as much as possible rather than taking supplements. But sometimes people need an extra boost. Always consult your physician before you commence with Vitamin A supplements.

Vit A is also available through dietary supplements. It is usually available in the form of retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate. Or in other combinations as well. Note that most multivitamin-mineral supplements contain vitamin A. You can also buy supplements.

Conclusion

You already know how essential vitamins and minerals are for your oral health. They not only keep your body working correctly, but they also boost your immune system. But you might not know that specific vitamins and minerals can positively affect your oral health. Those powerful little nutrients in healthy food and the packaged vitamins you take – can also strengthen your teeth and help you build a smile to be proud of.

You should also note that chewing is essential for extracting maximum goodness from your food. A lack of vitamins and minerals may be closely related to tooth loss and gum inflammation. Note that a healthy diet should complement good oral hygiene, so brush your teeth twice daily and visit your dentist every six months.

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