Calcium phosphate is very insoluble and tough. No wonder why dinosaur bones have survived all this time! Human skeletons can be perserved for 1000s of years under normal conditions- no special treatment necessary. In 1994, Mark Roberts discovered the oldest bones in Europe, belonging to Boxgrove Man who lived half a million years ago!
As we get older the replacement of calcium does not entirely compensate for the loss, and so to delay this erosion we need a daily intake of calcium and vitamin D. Teenage boys should take 750mg of calcium a day, teenage girls: 650mg, and breast-feeding mothers: 1100mg.
The weight of calcium phosphate in our skeleton reaches its maximum when we are about 30. Then after that, we lose 1% each year.More women die from the after-effects of osteoporosis fractures than from all cancers of the ovaries, cervix, and womb put together!
Fluoridation (adding fluoride to water) is the cheapest way of reducing tooth decay. If our diet contains too much fluoride we may get osteosclerosis, which is the hardening of our bones which could also lead to a deformed skeleton. The skill is in finding a balance between the two. "This is easily achieved with regular snacks like sardines on toast made with white bread." I have yet to meet someone who eats sardines regularly...
Cross Section of a Bone
What do you mean if we have to much fluoride? What is that in? I thought that was just something we used to wash our mouths with. Oh and my mom loves sardines...so gross.
ReplyDeleteFluoride is in tap water, chicken, pork, eggs, potatoes, cheese, tea, but most plentiful in cod, mackerel, sardines, salmon, and sea salt.
ReplyDelete