Dietary factors related to preservation of oral and skeletal bone mass in women.

Skeletal bone loss in adults increases the risk of bone fractures and may contribute to the loss of teeth in healthy postmenopausal women. The relationship of skeletal osteopenia to residual ridge resorption is unclear. Low bone mass in women is attributed to heredity, estrogen deficiency, a low lifetime calcium intake, and lack of regular physical activity. A high calcium intake will promote optimal bone growth in youth and decrease the rate of bone loss in the later postmenopausal period. In early menopause, estrogen is the only effective therapy for conserving bone in women. In older women, a high plasma level of vitamin D enhances calcium absorption, whereas high sodium, protein, alcohol, and caffeine intakes will cause increased urinary losses and negative calcium balance. Women who have a low intake of dairy foods may benefit from a refined calcium carbonate supplement that contains vitamin D. This article focuses on the nutritional factors that influence bone health.