U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of 

Child Health and Human Development
* 

National Institute

of Dental and

Craniofacial

Research

Note to Parents

This coloring book is designed for children ages 4 to 8 to help 

teach them about the importance of calcium for building strong 

teeth and a healthy body. Milk and other dairy products give kids 

the calcium they need for growth and development.* 

Children ages 1 to 2 should drink whole milk. When children are 

between ages 2 and 5, parents should gradually switch children 

to low-fat or fat-free (skim) milk. 

 Kids ages 4 

to 8 need 800 milligrams of calcium each day. At the end of this 

coloring book, you will find a list of foods that are high in calcium 

and that can be an excellent part of a healthy diet.

In addition to getting calcium, it is important for kids to brush their 

teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day to help protect 

their teeth from cavities.

For more information or materials on the importance of milk and 

calcium, please contact:

NICHD Information Resource Center 

Phone: 1-800-370-2943 (TTY: 1-888-320-6942)

Fax: 1-866-760-5947

Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847

Email: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov

Website: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/milk
A COLORING BOOK

National Institutes of Health

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
2

Have you 

met 

Buddy 

Brush?

His job is to make sure 

kids take good care of their teeth.
3

It makes Buddy feel good when kids 

brush their teeth after every meal.
Buddy beams when children drink milk.

Milk helps keep kidsÕ teeth and bones strong.

4
5

Milk matters!

That's because milk has calcium, 

a nutrient that helps your body build 

strong teeth and bones.
6

Did you say youÕd rather have a soda 

than a glass of milk with your meal?

Look out!
7

The thought of 

kids drinking 

sodas instead of 

milk makes Buddy 

bristle!

Sodas donÕt 

have calcium Ð 

and the sugar in them 

can lead to tooth 

decay.
You can help Buddy keep his cool.

8

Make sure you get enough calcium every day.

For kids ages 4 to 8, that means 

3 cups of milk a day.
9

After you drink your milk, 

make sure you brush your teeth 

before you head to bed.
10

Buddy Brush bets that 

your teeth will last 

a lifetime!
11

You can get calcium from these foods:

SERVING SIZE FOOD CALCIUM 

MILLIGRAMS (MG)

8 fluid oz

(1 cup)

low-fat or

fat-free milk

300

1 cup plain low-fat 

or fat-free yogurt 450

1 cup calcium-fortified

orange juice

350

1 slice cheese pizza 200

1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free 

cheddar cheese

204

1 cup macaroni & cheese 100

1 medium stalk

1 cup

broccoli, raw

broccoli, cooked

180

94
12

Milk matters.
National Institute

of Dental and

Craniofacial

Research

For more information about the NICHD, please contact

NICHD Information Resource Center at

Phone: 1-800-370-2943 

(TTY: 1-888-320-6942)

Fax: 1-866-760-5947

Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847

Email: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov

Website: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/milk

NIH Publication No. 06-4522

September 2006