The Importance of Calcium for Teeth
by Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D.
Read The Importance of Calcium for Teeth by Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D. to learn more about Grove Smiles® Dentistry and our Dentistry office in Coconut Grove, FL.
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Calcium and strong, healthy bones and teeth go together like water and hydration. Without the former, it can be hard to find the latter. And, as we like to stress, calcium is essential to our oral health.
Oral Health Essential – Calcium
We all know that calcium is the main component of our teeth and jawbones, but our mouths are also made up of gum tissue, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Calcium is essential for these things because it helps them function as they should.
Calcium Recommendations
The range of calcium intake recommended for the average person daily is between 1000-1300mg from ages four to 70+ yrs. On average, children younger than four years of age will need approximately 700mg of calcium or less. The daily basis recommendation can vary based on gender, age, and other health factors. If your intake is less than 500mg of calcium a day, it can put you at a higher risk of developing gum disease. Frighteningly, most people do not meet their daily recommendations.
So let’s set a plan for a higher intake of calcium naturally.
Calcium – Better Naturally
The best way to consume calcium is in its natural state and not fortified or added to a product. Although the chemical compound is the same, the fortification process removes the required nutrient components that calcium needs to be fully absorbed by the body. Therefore the calcium intake is lower than what you perceived.
Great Sources of Calcium
Most people can get a large part of their daily calcium requirement from milk and other dairy products. However, others either do not have or choose that option. Luckily, our green earth also provides excellent alternative sources of this crucial mineral. Enjoy just a few on our shortlist here:
Canned Fish – The bones of small, canned fish are an excellent source of calcium, and they are soft enough to eat! It’s up to you whether you eat them straight from the can or mix them into a more substantial meal.
Dark Leafy Greens – Starting at 180mg and reaching about 350mg, kale, spinach, and collard greens are the three leafy greens with the highest calcium content.
Beans and Black-Eyed Peas – Legumes such as beans and black-eyed peas contain an impressive amount of calcium, with 350mg to 515mg in just one cup!
Tofu – Most tofu has added calcium, giving it about 860mg per half cup, but you’ll still get between 100-200mg per serving with no calcium added!
Broccoli and Broccoli Rabe – Broccoli rabe (rob) has about 80mg of calcium per 2/3-cup serving, and broccoli has about 100mg per 2cup serving.
Almonds – Out of all the nuts, almonds contain the highest calcium level, with 8% of the recommended daily intake in a single ounce.
Dried Figs – Figs have a sweet, dessert-like flavor, so eating the half cup it takes to get the calcium from them will feel like indulging in a treat!
Best Advice – Mix It Up! – Salads created with kale, spinach, mustard greens, arugula, and chard all contain various amounts of calcium (with spinach having the most at 240 mg per cup). Add fruits such as kiwi and figs to add bonus calcium as figs have 300 mg per cup.
Can You Intake Too Much Calcium?
The answer to that question is yes. But, as a rule, more is not necessarily better, and the next step after sufficiency can often be toxicity. For example, ingesting large amounts of calcium naturally and adding calcium supplements could work against your health goal. Be warned that unnecessarily high calcium levels have been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, plus cause muscle pain, mood disorders, and kidney stones.
Ready For More? Let Us Help!
If you are prone to gum disease or have further questions about how you can improve your daily calcium intake, we invite you to call Grove Smiles Dentistry in Coconut Grove, FL. Dr. Stephen Parr would love to talk to you about it, so schedule a visit with us today!
We love helping our patients and their families keep their teeth healthy and stronger for generations!
For Your Health,
Dr. Rita Dargham D.M.D.
