A healthy jawbone is the foundation of a healthy smile. Particularly if you wish to receive dental implants, your care team will need to use advanced imaging equipment to make sure your bone is strong enough and thick enough to support your new teeth. If it is not, you might need a bone graft. Is there anything you can do to keep your jawbone healthy and optimize your chances of a successful implant procedure? Yes! While there are several steps you can take, one thing you should focus on is proper nutrition. For example, you should get enough vitamin K2.
What Is Vitamin K2?
Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in your body’s health, particularly in bone and dental wellness. Many people are familiar with vitamin K1, which is associated with blood clotting, but vitamin K2 is also critically important and offers unique benefits. In addition to supporting blood clotting, it activates proteins that guide calcium to your bones and teeth, directing it away from soft tissues and arteries where it could cause harm.
How Does Vitamin K2 Support Your Jawbone?
Your jawbone needs proper mineralization to remain strong and capable of supporting dental implants. Vitamin K2 works in partnership with nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium to make this possible.
When you consume calcium, it does not bind to your bones on its own. It needs help. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, and K2 tells the calcium where to go. When you get enough K2, it activates a protein called osteocalcin, which helps bind calcium to your bone matrix, making your jawbone denser and more resilient. In the absence of sufficient vitamin K2, calcium may not be effectively used by your bones, which can undermine the strength and thickness of your jawbone.
Tips for Getting More K2 in Your Diet
Your body produces some vitamin K2 on its own, but that is not considered sufficient to meet your daily needs. If you would like to focus on incorporating more of this important nutrient into your diet, try eating:
- Fermented foods such as natto (a traditional Japanese dish made from soybeans) and sauerkraut
- Certain cheeses, especially Gouda and Edam
- Animal products like organ meats and egg yolks
- Grass-fed or pasture-raised options, which tend to contain higher amounts of vitamin K2
You can also choose to take a supplement. Many vitamin D supplements include k2 because these two nutrients work best when they are taken together.
Proper nutrition can play a great role in your dental implant journey! Talk to a qualified medical professional to learn more about how to eat for excellent oral health.
Meet the Practice
Dr. Thomas Weil is a board-certified oral surgeon with more than 40 years of experience in his field. Along with Drs. Steve Koo and William Shepard, he provides top-quality dental implant services. Our team aims to combine technology with real human expertise! If you are thinking about replacing your lost teeth with dental implants, we would be happy to answer your questions and offer advice. Contact Piney Point Dental Implant Center in Houston at 713-597-7340.