Sensitive teeth: Too many sweets or dangerous deficiency?
Question: My teeth are so sensitive, I can barely eat. But my dentist says there aren't any problems with my gums or roots, and I don't have any cavities. What could be causing this?
Dr. Wright: One of the major signs of vitamin D deficiency is bone pain, technically referred to as osteomalacia. And it's important to remember that teeth are bones too. So sensitive, aching, or throbbing teeth that can't be explained by a dental cause might be a sign you need more vitamin D.
For adults, I recommend a total of 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. This amount can generally be achieved by spending about 20 minutes in the sun with your face and arms exposed (just until your skin turns very slightly pink).
If you can't get enough from the sun, cod liver oil is also a good source, containing daily 1,200-1,500 IU of vitamin D per tablespoon. Just remember to take additional vitamin E (in the form of mixed tocopherols) whenever you supplement with fish oils or other essential fatty acids, to help prevent them from oxidizing too rapidly in your body.
Related articles of interest:
The Vitamin You're Probably NOT Getting Enough Of
Is your diabetes caused by a dip in "this" vitamin?
Vitamin D conspiracy leads straight to Big Pharma
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Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has degrees from both Harvard University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan. More than any other doctor, he practically invented the modern science of applied nutritional biochemistry and he has advanced nutritional medicine for nearly three decades.
As of today, Dr. Wright has received over 35,000 patient visits at his now-famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State.
To learn more about Dr. Wright, and to sign up for his free Health e-Tips eLetter, please visit www.wrightnewsletter.com.
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