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Kids need nutritious food to grow up strong and healthy – and so do their teeth. Teaching your children healthy eating habits from an early age will help them avoid tooth decay and other oral health problems in the long run.
So, how exactly does nutrition affect young teeth? And how can you help your kids eat for the good of their oral and dental health?
Regular brushing, flossing and visits to the dentist are key to preventing oral and dental health problems in children. Proper nutrition is also crucial. Yet, even the most careful, health-conscious parents and caregivers may struggle when it comes to helping their kids develop a taste for nutritious food.
Anytime someone, regardless of age, eats or drinks sugar of any kind, it combines with the germs or bacteria already in their mouth to create a mild acid. This acid, especially if present in great amounts, erodes enamel, the outer hard layer of the teeth; this decay can then develop into full cavities.
How much tooth decay your children may experience, and how severe it is, depends on two things then:
Many of the foods we know to be healthy still contain natural sugars, which can harm kids’ teeth — even unsweetened fruit juice, for example, can build up in the mouth and contribute to tooth decay if not managed. Check out our Good to Eat and Foods to Avoid suggestions — and don’t panic!
Creating meals with the food groups in mind, and helping your kids develop daily brushing and flossing habits, will go a long way towards preventing tooth decay and other oral health problems.
Some popular kids’ snacks can increase or cause tooth decay through increased acid build-up, either because of their high sugar content or their tendency to get stuck between teeth, or both.
Learn more about tips and tricks to make sure your little ones actually eat all the great food and snacks you provide for them, whether they’re at home or away where you can't take care of them.
We are your children's pediatric dental specialists in Southwest Calgary.