What Foods Promote Strong Teeth For Growing Children?
The best thing you can do as a parent is to ensure your child makes healthy food choices early in life. Too much carbohydrates, starches, and sugars can have a negative impact on their dental health, especially if left on the teeth for too long.
Here are some tooth-friendly foods that go a long way in strengthening your child’s teeth.
Lean meats, nuts, and proteins
Make sure your child gets enough protein by offering lean meats like turkey, chicken, and white fish. Nuts and seeds contain natural fats and vitamins that coat teeth and help shield against bacteria.
Fruits and vegetables
Give them fruits and vegetables as a snack instead of foods rich in carbohydrates. Focus on crunchy, juicy fruits, and vegetables with high water content such as pears, carrots, melons, oranges, papaya, celery, and cucumbers.
Calcium Sources
Calcium-rich diets from milk and dairy products and dark green, leafy vegetables like broccoli is important in building strong bones and teeth.
Cheeses and low-fat dairy products
Add aged cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss to their snacks or lunch packs as they help trigger the flow of saliva. Other dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphate which strengthen the teeth and lower the risk of tooth decay.
Unsweetened foods
Increase intake of unsweetened foods to decrease the amount of sugar that could potentially cause tooth decay. Also, limit sugary drinks like sodas and flavored juices and instead use water as an alternative.
Xylitol-sweetened or sugar-free gum
The next time your child asks for gum, get a sugarless or Xylitol-sweetened chewing gum. These gums work against bacteria and can help boost dental health.
Carolina Smiles Dentistry is here to help improve your child’s dental health and provide ideas for healthy snacks and drinks. Good dental hygiene and regular check-ups will help keep your mouth healthy and prevent infection, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
Routine dental visits are necessary in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Dental exams also give us the opportunity to provide suggestions for future care based off of your current dental routine. Check-ups should generally take place every 6 months
Our office specializes in children and teen oral health care. Children will find the underwater theme in our office particularly intriguing and inviting. Our goal is to make sure the dentist office is a positive experience for young children while instilling in them good oral hygiene habits they can take with them throughout adulthood. We encourage you to schedule an appointment for your child with us today at (919) 620-6700.
