Teeth and Bones – The Importance of Calcium for Children of All Ages
Teeth
Healthy teeth need a healthy jaw and healthy gums. Calcium and Phosphorus play a vital role in the formation and maintenance of healthy smiles for all children (and their parents).
Calcium and phosphorus help to strengthen our teeth but they also help to strengthen our jaw bones to hold all of the teeth in place.
Bones
Almost 99% of the body’s calcium is found in our bones. Our bones need some other minerals to give strength and structure to our bones too (such as phosphorus and vitamin D).
The other 1% of our body’s calcium travels around in our bloodstream doing important jobs with our heart, muscles and nerves. If we don’t consume enough dietary calcium, our body will take what it needs from our bones in order to keep the rest of our bodies healthy.
Children’s bones grow rapidly. With most children reaching their peak bone mass around the age of 20 years, it is essential that they are nourishing their bones in infancy, preschool, primary school, secondary school and into their young adult years.
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