Individually selected macro- and micronutrients, supplied to the body in sufficient quantities, can help in the prevention and therapy of dental diseases. Micronutrients (vital substances) include:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Trace elements
- Essential fatty acids
- Essential amino acids
- Secondary plant substances
- Other micronutrients (vital substances)
Some micronutrients (vital substances) our body can produce itself, but many it must take as natural components of food.
Indications (areas of application)
In dentistry, micronutrients (vital substances) are used for:
- Stomatitis
- Osteomyelitis of the jaw
- Wound healing disorders
- Dental operations
- Gingivitis
- Caries
- Periodontitis
Some examples of the importance of micronutrients (vital substances) in dentistry:
- Vitamin A and folic acid – for gingivitis.
- Vitamin C – for gingivitis and periodontitis
- Calcium – for caries prophylaxis and periodontitis.
- Fluorine – for caries prophylaxis.
- Copper and eicosapentaenoic acid – an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid – in inflammatory processes.
- Coenzyme Q10 – in gingivitis and periodontitis.
Some of the micronutrients are supplied to the body under certain circumstances in insufficient quantities. This may be caused, for example, by improper food preparation or an individual vital substance excess requirements.Biographical causes.
- Biochemical individuality – genetically determined different equipment, e.g. with scavenger enzyme systems (radical-catching enzymes), which also means different sensitivity to noxae (e.g. alcohol, tobacco consumption, drugs); furthermore, e.g. genetically determined absorption, transport and enzyme defects or reduced synthesis of enzymes, etc., partly also acquired (e.g. due to illness). This different body chemistry leads to individual nutritional needs.
- Life phases
- Children/Adolescents
- Pregnancy/breastfeeding phase
- Age: malnutrition and malnutrition in old age.
- Unbalanced and insufficient food intake.
- Decreased enzyme activity
- Impaired membrane functions and transport processes
- Resorption disorders
Behavioral causes
- Nutrition
- Diets – vegetarianism, veganism, raw foodists.
- Irregular eating and frequent skipping of meals.
- Unbalanced eating habits
- Intake of high amounts of energy from fat, protein, carbohydrates (especially monosaccharides/sugar, etc.) and alcohol.
- Low intake of dietary fiber
- Latent metabolic acidosis due toincreased intake of “acidic” foods (such as meat, cheese, milk, eggs and sweets) or too low intake of alkaline foods (such as vegetables and fruits).
- Canteen food – too little fresh fruits and vegetables and milk and dairy products, etc.
- Diets, fasting cures
- Malnutrition and malnutrition – e.g. unbalanced and insufficient food intake.
- Consumption of stimulants
- Physical activity
- Competitive sports
- Heavy physical work
- Occupational and emotional stress
- Z. E.g. double burden of work and household
- Insomnia (sleep disorders)
Causes related to disease
- Resorption disorders due to food intolerances:
- Fructose, gluten, lactose
- Resorption disorders due to chronic diseases of the digestive system:
- Stomach – gastritis, gastric resection, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
- Small intestine – Acute and chronic enteritis, radiation enteritis, Crohn’s disease, small bowel resection.
- Large intestine – ulcerative colitis
- Other diseases – see this at the respective disease under “Prevention and therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)”.
Medication
- Permanent medication
Environmental stress – intoxications
Through a dental vital substance analysis, your individual macro- and micronutrient additional requirements (vital substances) is determined. You will thus learn what can lead or has led to the insufficient supply of vital substances in your body and receive an individual macro- and micronutrient therapy (vital substances) on the basis of the analysis.Comprehensive information on “prevention and therapy with micronutrients” can be found under the topic of the same name under nutritional medicine.
