Dear Parent,

You’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of calcium for children’s growing bones. But calcium is also important for your child’s healthy mouth. Calcium helps keep the teeth, gums, and jawbones healthy. Milk and other dairy foods are excellent sources of calcium. We hope this booklet will help you learn more about calcium and about how to include milk and other calcium-rich foods in your child’s diet.

Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D. Director, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Duane Alexander, M.D. Director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

That’s because milk and other dairy foods
(foods made with milk)
are very good sources of calcium.

• Calcium is a mineral that helps make teeth strong and healthy. Even before baby teeth and adult teeth come in, they need calcium. And after teeth come in, they continue to take in calcium so they can develop fully.

• Calcium makes gums healthy. Getting enough calcium as a young adult may help prevent gum disease later in life.

• Calcium makes jawbones strong and healthy too. Jawbones need to be strong — they hold the teeth in place!

Bones grow most during the childhood and teenage years.
By eating and drinking foods with calcium, children and teens can build up calcium-rich bones for now and for when they are adults. This calcium helps keep bones strong and may prevent them from getting fragile and breaking later in life.

HOW MUCH CALCIUM
DOES MY CHILD NEED?*

Age Calcium needed each day 1-3 years 500 milligrams (mg) 4-8 years 800 milligrams 9-18 years 1,300 milligrams

*According to the Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, National Academy of Sciences, 1997

Where can kids get calcium?

Milk and other dairy foods, like cheese and yogurt, are very good sources of calcium. One 8-ounce glass of milk has about 300 milligrams of calcium. Just a few glasses can go a long way toward giving kids the calcium they need each day. Milk also has other vitamins and minerals that are good for teeth and bones. The vitamin D in milk helps the body absorb calcium.
Other healthy foods with calcium are dark green, leafy vegetables; orange juice with calcium added; and soy milk with calcium added. Be sure to see the food list on page 7 for some other foods with calcium.

What kind of milk is best?*

• Babies under one year old should have breast milk or formula with iron added.

• Children ages one to two should drink whole milk.

• Children ages two to five should be gradually switched to fat-free (skim) or
  low-fat (1%) milk.

  *American Academy of Pediatrics

Food Nutrition Labels

Food labels can tell you how much calcium is in one serving of a food. Look at the % Daily Value next to the calcium number on the food label.

• Try to eat and drink foods with 20% or more Daily Value of calcium (like milk). These foods are good sources of calcium.

• A food with 5% Daily Value or less has just a little calcium.

• For most adults, 100% Daily Value = 1,000 milligrams of calcium — but children ages 9-18 need extra calcium, or 130% of the Daily Value. This age group needs 1,300 milligrams, an additional 300 milligrams of calcium each day. That means one extra 8-ounce glass of milk or extra servings of another calcium-rich food.

Some healthy foods and their calcium content*

* Calcium content varies depending on ingredients for many foods. Check the food labels when you select items to see exactly how much calcium they have.

% Daily Values have been rounded.

Sources for Calcium Food Table: American Dietetic Association's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 1996; Bowes and Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 1998

How can I help my children get enough calcium for healthy teeth and bones?

• Serve calcium-rich foods with meals and snacks (see ideas on next page).

• Make sure you drink milk and eat dairy foods. Children learn by watching their parents.  

How else can I help my child have a healthy mouth?

Besides teaching your children to drink milk and eat other calcium-rich foods, you can:

• Teach your children to brush with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is another mineral that makes teeth healthy. It protects teeth from decay and helps heal early decay. (Young children should use only a tiny drop of fluoride toothpaste.)

• Ask your own dentist or physician if there is fluoride in the drinking water of your town or city. If there is not fluoride in your water, talk to your dentist or physician about fluoride tablets or drops for your child.