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Nutrient Research Paper

Savanna Beddoes
DH120A Clinical Hygiene
May 15, 2015
PHOSPHORUS
Nutrition plays an important role in the health and function of our
bodies. The more we know and educate ourselves on it, the better chance
we have at making healthier decisions and living healthier lives. While most
people would agree that what you put into your body will inevitably have
either a positive or negative effect on your health, many patients do not
think about or realize the fact that those same dietary decisions are affecting
their oral health, as well. Developing, eating and maintaining a balanced
diet is essential for good oral development and health. Putting the proper,
recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals into your body daily is
important to its function and vitality.

Numerous vitamins and minerals

exist and work together, but for the purpose of this paper, only phosphorus
will be discussed.
Phosphorus is represented in the periodic table by the letter P and had
the atomic number 15. It was first discovered in 1669 by Henning Brand and
exists in many different forms.According to an article in the African Journal of
Food Science phosphorus is located in every cell of the body, primarily in
bones and teeth (Soetan, 207). In her article Phosphorus, Susan Spinasanta
describes the mineral as a nonmetallic chemical element essential to

metabolize protein, calcium, and glucose. She goes on to explain how it is

needed for bone and tooth formation, cell growth (and production of
DNA/RNA), heart muscle contraction, and kidney function, and also helps the
body to utilize vitamins, assists other body functions to convert food into
energy, and maintains the blood's acid-base balance (1). Phosphorus can
be found in almost all foods, but most abundantly in those high in protein
and dairy. Good sources of the mineral include milk, eggs, cheeses, poultry,
fish, steak and even chocolate!
The following is a guideline of current recommended daily allowances taken
from the U.S. National Library of Medicine website:

0 to 6 months: 100 milligrams per day (mg/day)

7 to 12 months: 275 mg/day
1 to 3 years: 460 mg/day
4 to 8 years: 500 mg/day
9 to 18 years: 1,250 mg
Adults: 700 mg/day
Pregnant or lactating women:
o Younger than 18: 1,250 mg/day
o Older than 18: 700 mg/day
Because phosphorus is so readably available to us, deficiency is rare

and according to lifescript.com, is usually only seen in those near total

starvation, alcoholics and diabetics recovering from ketoacidosis. The article
goes on to explain that deficiency results in low blood levels of phosphorus,
which is characterized by anorexia, anemia, muscle weakness, bone pain,
confusion, increased susceptibility to infection, difficulty walking and, in
severe cases, death. As discussed in Primary Preventive Dentistry, the
biggest concern for deficiency comes during development and can cause

hypomineralization of developing teeth and possible delayed eruption

patterns (Harris, 298). There is also a concern for getting too great of an
intake of phosphorus which can result in reduced calcium absorption and
calcification of tissues, particularly the kidneys as described by
lifescript.com.
As, one might imagine, phosphorus is an exceedingly important
mineral to have in balance throughout our lives. It is of particular
importance to the study of dentistry because it is found is saliva and helps
with the remineralization of teeth, thus assisting in the naturally occurring
prevention of tooth decay. No medical management tips, oral implications or
treatment modifications were found regarding this particular mineral but
counseling due to deficiency or excessive intake would definitely be of
concern in counseling a patient. If found that the patient was consuming too
much, a hygienist would want to refer to the above chart outlining the
recommended daily allowances and determine how much was being
excessively consumed. Cutting out foods high in phosphorus would be a
great first step in the patients nutritional counseling treatment plan. If
discovered that the patient was not consuming enough phosphorus, a
hygienist would want to recommend that they eat foods high in phosphorus,
incorporating a high protein and high dairy diet into their meal plan. A
hygienist might want to have their patient utilize a food diary to determine if
and how the mineral is being over or under consumed and make adjustments
accordingly. Phosphorus is important to our overall, general health, as well

as to our oral health. Education to patients regarding this mineral will prove
to be of great benefit to them.
Works Cited
Evert, Alison. "National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health."
U.S
National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Feb.
2013. Web. 16 May 2015.
Harris, Norman O., Franklin Garcia-Godoy, and Christine Nielsen. Nathe.
Primary
Preventive Dentistry. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2009. Print.
Nutrition Guide. Nutrition Guide. Web 15 May 2015.
http://www.lifescript.com/food/nutrition_guides_nutrition_guide_phosph
orus.aspx.
Soetan, K. The importance of mineral elements for humans, domestic
animals and
plants: a review. African Journal of Food Science. Volume 4. Issue 5:
pp 22-222. Academic Journals. Web. 14 May 2015.
Spinasanta, Susan. Phosphorus. Spineuniverse. Vertical Health, LLC. 16
February
2010. Web. 14 May 2015.