Hi J,
It is amazing how frequently physicians, even specialists, seem to have little concern about their patients oral health. It's not, but perhaps it should be, a major part of their medical school curriculum??

Many people are of the thinking that the more calcium you supplement with, the stronger your bones should be. Well, actually there's a few significant issues with that. One is, calcium taken in large quantities <over 1500 mgs per day> do not increase bone strength but it will cause the kidneys to work harder to get rid of the excess. Excess calcium intake can also deplete the maganesium that is stored in the body. Secondly, calcium comes in many forms and some are more readily absorbed than others. Thirdly, calcium is only one component of several that work synergistically towards our bone health.

I don't know what other supplements you are taking, but it's always a good idea to research what supplements compliment each other so you get the best absorption rate possible. Some combinations of supplements can actually decrease or eliminate the effectiveness of certain ones. Others will interfere with certain medications.

For calcium to work efficiently, it is ideal to supplement with other nutrients such as vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A and phosphorous for ultimate absorption. Before supplementing with anything, it is best to research what could interfere with your current health conditions and/or with the meds you are on. For instance .... someone with hypoparathryroidism should not supplement with phosphorous. Other supplements that help with the absorption of calcium are the B vitamins, an amino acid called Lysine and essential fatty acids.

In your research you may find that for proper assimilation, calcium should be taken twice a day with food. I know many people who pop antacids or some type of calcium chew things throughout the day. However, this can only lead to excessive calcium in the blood and in some people, kidney stones.

I know it's frustrating to deal with the tooth decay situation and with your difficulties with tooth brushing. Since the best line of defense against tooth and gum problems is adequate tooth brushing, it may be helpful for you to brush more frequently and be very careful with you diet. Using oral products that contain Xylitol are also very helpful in preventing tooth decay.

Hope this information was helpful to you........ please keep in touch with us!
Bryanna