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Last updated: September 2026 · 7 minute read
Teeth and gums · Authorised claims · UK
Vitamin C for Gums, Calcium for Teeth: The Only Nutrients Allowed to Say So in the UK
Search "supplements for gums" and you get CoQ10, zinc, probiotics, collagen powders and a lot of confident wording. In Great Britain exactly one nutrient has an authorised health claim that names gums, and it is vitamin C. Five name teeth. This guide goes through what they are, what the claims mean, and how we built a product out of nothing else.
Quick answer
The only authorised UK claim naming gums is "vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums". Five nutrients carry a claim naming teeth: calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus (maintenance of normal teeth) and vitamin C (collagen formation for the normal function of teeth). All are about keeping healthy tissue healthy; none treats decay, gum disease or bleeding gums. Dual Teeth & Gum Support pairs calcium citrate with vitamin C: two capsules give 215mg calcium (27% NRV) and 34mg vitamin C (43% NRV). Contains soya. Food supplement, not a medicine, and not a substitute for brushing or a dentist.
The gum claim: there is only one
Gum tissue is mostly collagen, and the enzymes that build collagen need vitamin C to work. That is the basis for the wording on the GB nutrition and health claims register:
Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums
Normal function means healthy gums staying healthy. It does not mean stopping bleeding, treating gingivitis, reversing recession or anything a dentist would diagnose. No supplement is authorised to say those things, and a page that does is out of bounds whatever it contains.
Everything else sold "for gums" is trading on association. CoQ10, zinc, cranberry, probiotics and collagen powder have no gum claim at all. Zinc has 18 claims and none of them mentions gums. A product that wants to talk about gums in lawful wording has to contain vitamin C. There is no alternative.
The teeth claims: five nutrients
| Nutrient | Authorised claim | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal teeth | The structural mineral in tooth tissue. |
| Vitamin D | Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth | Needed to absorb the calcium in the first place. |
| Magnesium | Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth | Part of the mineral structure alongside calcium. |
| Phosphorus | Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth | The other half of the calcium phosphate that teeth are built from. |
| Vitamin C | Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth | The collagen framework the mineral sits on. |
All five are maintenance claims. Enamel does not regrow, and no nutrient is authorised to claim repair, remineralisation, strengthening or whitening.
How we built a product backwards from the register
Most teeth-and-gum supplements are assembled from whatever sounds relevant. Ours started from the list above. Vitamin C was compulsory, because it holds the gum claim and a teeth claim. From the teeth group we chose calcium, because it is the structural mineral in the tissue itself and clears the claim threshold at a sensible serving. That is the whole formula: two nutrients, both pulling their weight, nothing in the pot for decoration.
Why calcium citrate, not carbonate
Carbonate is about 40% calcium and citrate about 21%, so carbonate would fit twice as much into a capsule. We chose citrate because it absorbs without stomach acid: it works for older adults, for anyone on omeprazole or another proton pump inhibitor, and away from food. The price is bulk, which is why the serving is two capsules.
Why the serving is two capsules
The teeth claim needs at least 120mg of calcium a day. One 600mg capsule of citrate lands at about 14% NRV, just under the line. Two clears it at 27%. We would rather use two honest capsules than print a number the product does not deliver.
Why we declare 215mg, not 244mg
Calcium citrate runs 20.3 to 23% calcium by batch. We declare at the bottom of the range so every pot delivers at least what the label says. Most deliver more.
Liposomal vitamin C, and the soya line
The vitamin C is carried on soya lecithin, which is what forms the liposome. No absorption claim is authorised for the liposomal form, so we make none. What it does mean is that the product contains soya, one of the 14 declarable allergens, and we say so on the front rather than in the small print.
Dual Teeth & Gum Support
Dual Teeth & Gum Support Capsules
215mg
calcium · 27% NRV
34mg
vitamin C · 43% NRV
2
capsules a day
0
fillers
Calcium citrate 1,062mg and liposomal vitamin C 138mg per two-capsule serving, in a vegan HPMC shell. No fillers, binders or flow agents. Encapsulated in Southend-on-Sea. Six pack sizes from 60 to 500 capsules, from £8.99. Contains soya.
View on chargeproducts.co.ukView on eBayWant the calcium on its own? Calcium citrate powder is the same material, loose. Magnesium also carries the normal teeth claim.
Before you take it
Contains soya · Speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you
are allergic to soya (do not take it) · have kidney problems, a history of kidney stones, high blood calcium, an overactive parathyroid or sarcoidosis · take antibiotics, thyroid medicine, bisphosphonates or iron (leave two hours either side) · already take another calcium supplement. Not for under 18s.
And for everyone
Two capsules a day with food. 215mg is a moderate serving: the NHS puts the adult reference intake at 700mg a day from all sources and cautions against more than 1,500mg a day from supplements. This product is neither a toothbrush nor a dentist, and nothing on this page suggests otherwise.
One nutrient for teeth. One for gums. Both authorised.
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Shop Dual Teeth & Gum SupportTeeth and gums: frequently asked questions
Which vitamins are good for gums?
Only one nutrient has an authorised UK health claim that names gums: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums. No other vitamin or mineral is allowed to say it. Gum tissue is largely collagen, and vitamin C is needed by the enzymes that build it.
Which nutrients are good for teeth?
Five carry an authorised claim naming teeth: calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus are needed for or contribute to the maintenance of normal teeth, and vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth.
Can a supplement fix bleeding gums or gum disease?
No, and no supplement can lawfully say it does. Bleeding gums, gingivitis and receding gums are conditions for a dentist. The vitamin C claim is about the normal function of healthy gums, not treating a problem.
Can calcium repair or remineralise enamel?
No. The claim is the maintenance of normal teeth. Repairing, strengthening, whitening or remineralising damage is not authorised for any nutrient, and enamel does not regrow.
How much calcium and vitamin C do the claims need?
At least 15% of the reference value per daily serving: 120mg of calcium and 12mg of vitamin C. Dual Teeth and Gum Support provides 215mg calcium (27% NRV) and 34mg vitamin C (43% NRV) in two capsules.
Why calcium citrate and not carbonate?
Carbonate holds twice as much calcium per gram but needs stomach acid to be absorbed. Citrate does not, which makes it the more reliable choice for older adults, anyone on a proton pump inhibitor, or anyone taking it away from food. The cost is bulk, which is why the serving is two capsules.
Does the liposomal vitamin C absorb better?
No claim of that kind is authorised, so we do not make one. What the liposomal form does mean is that the product contains soya lecithin, so it contains soya and is declared as such.
Who should not take it?
Anyone under 18, anyone allergic to soya, and anyone with kidney problems, a history of kidney stones, high blood calcium or an overactive parathyroid without GP advice. Leave two hours between calcium and antibiotics, thyroid medicine, bisphosphonates or iron.
References
This article cites the claims register and public health guidance rather than efficacy studies. The claims are the claims; quoting trials beside them would only imply more than the approved wording allows.
1. Great Britain nutrition and health claims register: the authorised calcium and vitamin C wording.
2. NHS: Calcium: reference intake and the 1,500mg supplemental caution.
3. NHS: Vitamin C: reference intake and general guidance.
Disclaimer: Food supplement, not a medicine. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and not a substitute for brushing, flossing or professional dental care. Claims are the authorised Great Britain claims for calcium and vitamin C in their approved wording; no other claims are made. Contains soya. Not for under 18s. Consult your GP if pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition. Do not exceed two capsules a day. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Charge Products is a trading name of Big Idea Services Ltd, Company No. 11645389, Unit 1, 8 Towerfield Road, Towerfield Industrial Estate, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS3 9QE.
