Keeping your child's smile bright and healthy can be a challenge. Alongside good oral health practices, nutrition plays a vital role in preventing issues like cavities and gum disease and ensuring overall dental health.
Today, we're exploring the connection between what your child eats and drinks and their dental health.
Challenges in Children’s Dental Health
Ensuring your children's short and long-term dental health can be a tall order, with numerous pitfalls, including:
- High sugar consumption – Many kids indulge in sugary snacks and drinks, which feed the harmful bacteria that produce tooth-damaging acids.
- Snacking – Frequent snacking continually exposes teeth to acids, increasing cavity risk.
- Fussy eating – Picky eaters sometimes miss out on vital nutrients, which can jeopardize their oral health.
Nutrition's Crucial Role in Kids' Dental Health
How exactly does a balanced diet boost kids' dental health? Here are a few significant ways:
- A diet rich in calcium can play a significant role in strengthening teeth and bones.
- Dietary fiber, which is found in many foods but is especially prominent in fruits and vegetables, naturally cleanses teeth and encourages saliva production.
- An emphasis on hydration is beneficial on several fronts, as drinking water washes away food particles, neutralizes acids, and helps to prevent dry mouth, which can cause bad breath and facilitate tooth decay.
Dietary Choices That Can Define Your Kids’ Dental Health
So, which foods and beverages exactly should be emphasizing and trying to work into your kids’ diets? Here are a few!
- Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as leafy greens, provide calcium for strong teeth and bones.
- Crunchy veggies like celery, carrots, and cucumbers provide dietary fiber and naturally clean teeth.
- Fiber-rich fruits like apples and pears stimulate saliva flow and help remove debris.
- Water. Nature’s top-ranked thirst quencher is also vital to maintaining oral health.
On the flip side, here are a few foods and beverages to monitor:
- Sugary treats like candy and sweets which promote plaque buildup.
- High-sugar sodas and fruit juices which erode tooth enamel.
- Sticky snacks like gummy candies, which can adhere to teeth and both promote and accelerate tooth decay.
Kid's Dentistry in Gretna, LA
If you’re in the Gretna area and seeking a dental team with experience and expertise guiding children through their early dental development and toward a lifetime of strong oral health habits, contact dentist Dr. Russell Schafer and the team at NOLA Dentures and General Dentistry to schedule an appointment!