Nutrients are found in the foods we eat. Teeth need lots of calcium to stay strong. We get calcium when we eat and drink foods like milk, cheese, broccoli, yogurt, orange juice, sweet potatoes, sardines and salmon.
Sweet and sugary foods like candies and chocolate can make your teeth weak, but that doesn't mean you can't eat them! After eating sweet and sugary foods, brush your teeth to take off the sweet stuff from your teeth. If you leave the sugar and sweet stuff on your teeth for too long, it can cause cavities!
Be sure to drink three 8 oz. glasses of milk every day to get enough calcium.
NOTE TO PARENTS: The National Institute of Child Health & Human Development recommends the following chart below in order for children to receive the minimum amount of calcium per day.
Recommended Daily Levels of Calcium Recommendations based on the Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, National Academy of Sciences, 1997
Age Group
Adequate Intake Values (mg)
8 oz. glass of milk serving
Birth – 12 mo.
Talk to your pediatrician about sources of calcium.
