Your mouth is the mirror of your body. A lot health problems can be detected by just looking into the mouth. Oral soft tissues including your tongue, gums, cheek lining, inner lip lining, palate lining and the lining of the floor of the mouth all need adequate vitamin intake for health. Vitamin deficiencies are often first noticed in the mouth. Whole foods are your best source of nutrients, including vitamins, because vitamins can't provide all of the nutrients that whole foods do, reports the Mayo Clinic.
Vitamin A
One of the most important vitamins for the health of your mouth, vitamin A helps in the formation of both hard and soft tissues. Vitamin A deficiency predisposes you to several mouth problems like oral candidiasis, swollen gums, gum inflammation, white parties in the mouth, reduced taste sensitivity and dry mouth. To help keep your mouth healthy, consume adequate amounts vitamin A. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 900 mcg for men and 700 mcg for women. The Mayo Clinic recommends liver and eggs as good food sources of vitamin A.
Vitamins B2 and B3
Vitamins B2 and B3 also function to maintain healthy soft tissues inside your mouth. Deficiencies in these vitamins may result in glossitis, or swollen tongue; peeling tongue; trench mouth; extremely painful tongue; mouth ulcers, wounds at the corner of your mouth, called angular cheilosis; general inflammation of your mouth soft tissues, known as mucositis; and dry, smooth tongue, resulting in much pain. The RDA for Vitamin B2 1.4 mg in males and 1.2 mg in females; for vitamin B3, the RDA is 15 mg. Fish, eggs and poultry are good sources of these vitamins.
Vitamins B6 and B12
Vitamins B6 and B12 are also important in maintaining the integrity and health of your mouth's soft tissues. The RDA for vitamin B6 is 1.3 mg for both men and women up to age 50. The RDA for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg. Deficiencies in these vitamins may predispose you to glossitis, burning mouth, bleeding gums, mild mouth odor and loose teeth. Vitamin B6 is found in avocados, bananas, legumes, meat, whole grains and nuts, according to Medline Plus. Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, meat and organ meats, poultry and shellfish.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is perhaps the most important vitamin for the health of your mouth. It is responsible for keeping your gums firms. Vitamin C deficiency leads to an extremely painful mild condition known as scurvy. Although this is rather rare today, when it occurs, you develop red swollen gums. Vitamin C deficiency also predisposes you to mouth ulcers and oral candidiasis. Worse still, you stand the risk of losing your teeth because vitamin C deficiency destroys your tooth-supporting or periodontal fibers. The RDA of vitamin C for men in 90 mg, and for women, 70 mg. Food sources of vitamin C are broccoli, brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries and tomatoes.
