Calcium from Eggshells Can Benefit Your Dental Health

Eggshells are not only good for the compost pile for soil amendment, it’s also good for your dental health, a real powerhouse for bone health!

It is well known that calcium is one of the most important minerals for building bones, our complete skeletal structure depends on it. Our teeth are bones too and are essential for chewing and grinding down food for the digestive process since digestion begins our mouth. Having strong and healthy teeth promotes good digestion which leads to a healthy gut which we need for proper calcium absorption, they are both interconnected. The best we can do to protect our pearly whites from weakening and breaking down, is to build up bone strength. 

There are different forms of calcium, and some are better than others. Many calcium supplements contain calcium carbonate that is derived from oyster shells, but now there is evidence that calcium carbonate from eggshells can build bone minerals protecting dental health. A randomized double-blind placebo study showed that calcium carbonate derived from eggshells as a culinary powder, along with vitamin D prevented bone loss in post-menopausal women that have an elevated risk for osteoporosis [1]. If eggshell powder is strong enough to prevent this disease, rest assured, it can strengthen your bones including your teeth. Calcium needs assistance from other minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, and chloride to become bioavailable for your bones and teeth. Magnesium in combination with Calcium is crucial for bone mineral health and guess what? Coincidentally, eggshells contain magnesium which helps the calcium to become bioavailable, meaning it’s ready to get absorbed into your bones. Another plus is that while the shell itself is full of calcium and magnesium, the inner part of the shell contains protein which is that thin sheath of membrane. This membrane is loaded with collagen which improves gum health, wound healing, inflammation, joint health and yes, it makes you look younger!

It is easier to consume eggshell in powder form and in fact just a small amount like ½ tsp of powder or half an eggshell can provide 90 % of the daily recommended allowance of calcium per day. Just a little bit goes a long way. The powder can be added to soups, stews, and any cooking dish for that matter.

Eggshell powder can be prepared and processed as demonstrated in this YouTube video here https://youtu.be/F9X9Mpi9-2I?si=kFORFUApSDilNoOf by boiling eggshells to kill bacteria, then drying the shells in the oven. It is important to keep that membrane on the inside of shells intact since they contain collagen. Once they are dried, a powder can be made by putting the dried shells into a food processor, magic bullet or a Vitamix blender until it is a fine powder.

It is no surprise that our overall nutritional status has largely decreased in the last few decades due to mineral depletion in our soils and plant modifications. This is why it is beneficial to supplement, aside from consuming calcium containing foods because it may not be enough. It is important to check on your calcium status and to be aware of whether or not you’re getting enough so start turning those eggshells into a nutritious supplement that strengthens your teeth and bones!

1. Nutrients 2024, 16(8), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16081152