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Calcium plays a key role in promoting oral health, and maintaining healthy bones. Here’s everything you need to know about why calcium is important to a healthy diet.  

What is Calcium? 

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and supports healthy bodies in many ways. Calcium is required for a healthy heart, helps with muscle function, and aides in nerve transmission. Although most of the body’s calcium is stored in teeth and bones (around 99%), it plays a large role in aiding vital bodily functions outside of teeth and bones.  

Calcium and Teeth 

Calcium aides in the formation of young teeth, and plays a key role in creating a healthy jaw that can support both new and adult teeth. In fact, teeth and bones are mostly made out of calcium. Both are constantly remodeling through the resorption and deposit of calcium, which means that they rely upon calcium intake to power the process that maintains healthy bones.  

Calcium is also a dental super mineral, because it neutralizes damaging acids and is a great enamel protector. Enamel is the first line of defense for teeth, so it’s important to keep it strong. Dairy products neutralize damaging acids that eat away teeth and are rich in casein, an enamel protecting substance.  

Sources of Calcium 

Luckily, many foods that children love have an abundant amount of calcium. For instance, cheese, yogurt, milk – even vanilla ice cream – all contain a significant amount of calcium. Most of the best sources of calcium are dairy products, but leafy green vegetables like kale, broccoli and bok choy are also healthy sources of calcium. You can also get calcium from dietary supplements and multivitamins.  

We suggest packing your child’s lunch with a small serving of cheese, or yogurt so that they can get closer to their recommended daily requirement of calcium. Or, you can also give them a small box of milk, which is packed with calcium.  

Daily Calcium Requirements for Children 

Children need calcium to develop strong teeth and bones, while adults need calcium to maintain healthy teeth and bones. Your child’s calcium intake will vary as they get older. Provided below is the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) recommended dietary allowances for children: 

0–6 months: 200 mg 

7–12 months:260 mg 

1–3 years: 700 mg  

4–8 years: 1,000 mg 

9–13 years: 1,300 mg   

14–18 years: 1,300 mg 

For reference, 8 oz of plain low-fat yogurt contains 415 mg of calcium, 8 oz of milk contains 284 mg of calcium, and 1 cup of cooked kale contains 94 mg of calcium. Check the NIH site for more information about the amount of calcium in popular foods.  

Try to add at least one dairy product to each of your child’s meals to provide them with adequate amount of calcium. If your family does not consume dairy, try introducing some of these other calcium-rich foods: almond milk, canned fish, kale, soy yogurt or soy beans. If you’re buying packaged food as a calcium source, check the packaging to ensure that there is an adequate amount. 

Is Your Child’s Diet Mouth-Healthy? 
A mouth-healthy diet is an important part of maintaining optimal oral health. If you’re concerned about how your child’s diet may be affecting their teeth, then bring them into our office. We will evaluate their smiles and offer a variety of treatment options that fit their case. We can also give you tips on eating for better oral health, and point out food that can lead to tooth decay.

The Center for Disease Control has called community water fluoridation one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. This is due to its effectiveness, and low cost. In fact, the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, US Public Health Service, and World Health Organization all advocate for fluoridating community water supplies. But, we haven’t always reaped the oral-health benefits of fluoride. Actually, until recently, we haven’t even fully understood the full scope of fluoride.  

The Colorado Brown Stain

 In 1901, a young dental school graduate named Frederick McKay moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to open a dental practice. Upon his arrival, he was astounded to observe that many of the locals suffered from brown stains on their teeth. Sometimes, these stains were so dark that it appeared as if their teeth were caked in dark chocolate. After observing this, McKay frantically searched for information about the disorder causing the stains.  

Teeth mottling (dental fluorosis)

McKay invited a renowned dental researcher named Dr. G.V. Black to help him get to the root of the stain affecting those in Colorado Springs. In 1909, Black accepted the invitation and arrived in Colorado. For six years, the two worked together and found that nearly 90% of children native to Colorado Springs suffered from the stain. They gave the brown stain a more technical name (tooth mottling, which was later changed to fluorosis) and were surprised to discover that mottled teeth were highly resistant to tooth decay. While they couldn’t identify a cause for tooth mottling, they noted the anti-cavity effects of the stain and moved on.  

Up to Colorado

In 1923, McKay went from Colorado Springs to Oakley, Idaho to investigate a recent uptick in tooth mottling in Oakley. The parents told him that the stains began appearing shortly after Oakley constructed a communal water pipeline to a warm spring five miles away. After examining and finding the water to be normal, McKay advised town leaders to abandon the pipeline and use a nearby spring as their water source. The town obliged, and within a few years the brown stains disappeared.  

McKay still hadn’t found the exact cause, but he isolated the source of tooth mottling. 

Arkansas Aluminum

McKay then travelled to Bauxite, Arkansas, a town owned by an aluminum plant called the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). The residents of Bauxite were afflicted with mottled teeth, but nearby towns were not. McKay asked the town to conduct a study on the water, and returned to Colorado.  

ALCOA’s chief chemist, H.V. Churchill, analyzed the water with more powerful tools than available to McKay when he was in Oakley. Several days after the study was conducted, Churchill found high levels of fluoride in the water at Bauxite. At first, he couldn’t believe it, and he promptly ordered a new sample. The second test showed the same results and compelled Churchill to write a 5 page letter to McKay.  

The letter informed McKay of the fluoride findings, and Churchill urged him to test samples from Colorado Spring and Oakley for increased levels of fluoride.  

McKay obliged, and within months, he found the answer to the brown stain problem: increased levels of fluoride were in fact staining teeth.  

National Institute of Health (NIH)

Upon learning of McKay and Churchill’s findings, the National Institute of Health (NIH) decided to investigate water-borne fluoride, and the effects on teeth. Drs Trendley Dean and Elias Elvove first came up with a method to measure fluoride levels in water. Together, they developed a state-of-the-art method to measure fluoride levels in water with an accuracy of 0.1 parts per million (ppm). By the late 1930’s the NIH concluded that fluoride levels up to 1.0 ppm could not cause enamel fluorosis.  

But does Fluoride help with Cavities?

Upon finding that miniscule amounts of fluoride would not stain teeth, the NIH went back to McKay’s writings where he observed the cavity resistance of those with the brown stain. Dean wondered whether adding fluoride to drinking water at physically and cosmetically safe levels would help fight tooth decay. This hypothesis, Dean told his colleagues, would need to be tested. In 1945, Grand Rapids Michigan voted to add fluoride to its drinking water. The 15 year study would be the first of its kind. After just 11 years, Dean announced that the cavity rate among children in Grand Rapids had dropped more than 60%. This was a major scientific breakthrough and helped revolutionize dental care.  

Fluoride Today

Today, fluoride is widely acknowledged as a way to prevent cavities. In the United States, community water fluoridation costs just over 1 dollar per person every year, which is a low price to pay for better oral health. Check online to see if your town uses a fluoridated water source. If not, we suggest buying fluoridated toothpaste to get your daily dose of cavity-preventing fluoride.  

Sugar feeds the harmful bacteria on your teeth, and creates acid that erodes enamel. This causes plaque and ultimately cavities, which is why you should limit the number of sugary foods and drinks your family consumes. But, are all sweets terrible for teeth? Not necessarily.  

Real Dark Chocolate is Mouth Healthy

Milk chocolate contains a combination of milk and sugar additives that can contribute to tooth decay, while dark chocolate does contain those ingredients. Additionally, dark chocolate contains polyphenols, which are natural chemicals that limit the buildup of bad oral bacteria. Polyphenols also help prevent bacteria from turning sugar into acid, thereby limiting acid attacks and keeping enamel healthy. 

If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, go to the store and find some all-natural dark chocolate. Be sure that it is at least 70% cocoa to get the most nutrition.  

Fruit Isn’t Bad – Just Limit Citrus

Fruit satisfies a sweet tooth in much healthier ways than refined sugar. In fact, some fruit cleans your teeth as you eat them. Because of their high fiber content, fruits like apples, strawberries and pomegranate scrub your teeth as they are chewed. This helps fight plaque buildup, as well as remove other food debris that could harm the tooth surface.  

Fruit can be great for improving health, but it can sometimes damage teeth. Citric fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemon and tangerines have a high amount of acid in them, which can lead to tooth enamel erosion. Therefore, if you have citric fruit, be sure to rinse your mouth out with water afterward to remove any acid buildup.  

Xylitol is a Mouth-Healthy Alternative

Xylitol is found in fruits and vegetables and its genetic makeup is much healthier for teeth than traditional sugar. The proteins and carbohydrates in traditional sugar fuel cavities, while the genetic makeup of xylitol prevent this from occurring. Xylitol naturally stimulates saliva that aids in overall oral health. Increased saliva can help prevent bad breath by eliminating dry mouth, and prevent prolonged exposure to acid and sugar caused by food debris.  

Does Your Child Have a Healthy Diet?

Our office helps parents teach their children about earning a healthy smile, and keeping it long after they leave our office. A mouth-healthy diet is an important part of maintaining optimal oral health. If you’re concerned about how your child’s diet may be affecting their teeth, then bring them into our office. We will evaluate their smiles and offer a variety of treatment options that fit their case. We can also give you tips on eating for better oral health, and point out food that can lead to tooth decay. 

One of the most important tools in your child’s mouth-health arsenal is their toothbrush. Often overlooked and under considered, it is vital that you take the time to buy the right toothbrush for your child. Below are some smart shopping guidelines to consider when buying your child’s next toothbrush.   

Bristles

Bristles come in all shapes and sizes, but did you know that most dentists think that soft, rounded bristles make the best toothbrushes? This is because soft bristles effectively clean teeth without damaging sensitive gums. Hard rubber bristle liners (called burs) can cut your gums and do not provide any extra cleaning power. Additionally, the rounded shape is easy on sensitive teeth and gums while sharper shaped tooth brushes can easily fray as well as harm sensitive gums. So when you’re looking for a new toothbrush, look for soft, rounded bristles.  

Size

The toothbrush head should be sized to comfortably fit in your child’s mouth and small enough to clean all of the spots that are tough to reach. The toothbrush head should fit comfortably between their back molars and their cheek. When purchasing their toothbrush, take your child with you so that you can accurately size their new toothbrush. Try to choose a toothbrush that is specifically designed for kids, or your child’s age bracket. 

Handle

There are straight handles, curved handles, angled handles and even handles that vibrate, but the most effective handle isn’t based upon shape, but comfort. When choosing your child’s new toothbrush, you need to make sure that the handle is large enough and comfortable enough for them to hold and brush for two minutes. If the handle is the wrong size, it may not be easy enough for them to grasp and effectively brush their teeth. Look for toothbrushes with a rubber grip so that it is easier for your child to grasp. 

When to Exchange It

Toothbrushes face a couple of different problems that can cut their lifespan short. First, general use wears down bristles and impedes their effectiveness over time. Worn down bristles begin to lose their shape and become obviously frayed. You should exchange your child’s toothbrush when the head begins to lose its shape and the bristles become frayed, usually around three months of use.  

When your child gets sick, it’s time to get a new toothbrush. Bacteria can buildup on the handle and bristles of their toothbrush and can extend their sickness or reignite it at a later date. If your child has a cold or the flu, immediately buy a new toothbrush once they are no longer sick. 

A good rule of thumb is to buy a new toothbrush every three months.  

Ask Us!

All of the above criteria applies to adult toothbrushes in addition to those used by children. If you are unsure of the exact toothbrush your child should use, then consult our office! We will be able to help you choose the best toothbrush for your child, and we can suggest a specific model most of the time. Visit our office today to discuss the tools your children use to attain better oral health!