How Can a Healthy Diet Help My Child's Teeth?

by | Jul 29, 2013 | Uncategorized

Wondering how can a healthy diet help my child’s teeth?
Caring for your child’s teeth with brushing and (when she’s older) flossing is important, but it’s only part of what you need to do as a parent to help your child build strong, healthy teeth. Creating a balanced, nutritious diet for your little one is just as important. We recommend that your child receive one serving of the following each day:

  • Fruits
  • Veggies
  • Breads/cereals
  • Milk/dairy
  • Meat, fish, or eggs

Through a healthy, balanced diet that includes each of these, you can help your child’s teeth as well as her gums. Developing healthy gum tissue is important for preventing gum disease and other oral health conditions.
Certain foods, like those that are high in carbohydrates like starch or sugar, should be handled with caution, but they don’t have to be eliminated from your child’s diet completely. Many natural foods contain one form of sugar or another, including milk, fruits, and certain vegetables. These foods are necessary to a healthy lifestyle. But there’s even a time for foods low in nutritional value—they just shouldn’t be the norm. And when your child does enjoy a piece of candy or something else sweet, it’s better to do it during a meal instead of as a snack. Sugary foods are less likely to cling to teeth during meals because of the other foods consumed and because of drinks like water that help clean off teeth.
You don’t have to put together a nutritional plan for your child alone, though. Our pediatric dentists at Kidtastic can help. During your child’s next appointment with us, we can talk to you about her oral health, how her smile is developing, and we can help you decide what kinds of foods to include in her day-to-day life. We can also help you catch foods that may seem more nutritious than they actually are. Many processed foods that aren’t sweet actually contain sugar, putting your child at an increased risk of developing decay.
Based on our conversation, your next trip to the grocery store will be guided by a better understanding of how you can improve your child’s diet and your diet as well. Eating healthy foods together as a family will help your little one understand the importance of moderation and eating nutritious foods. Developing healthy habits in your child now will do a lot to help her as she grows into an adolescent and an adult, just as it will with brushing and flossing.
Has your child reached the point where she needs to start seeing a pediatric dentist? Call Kidtastic today to reserve an appointment for her. During her visit, we can assess her oral health and talk to you about the foods she should be eating to develop healthy teeth and healthy gum tissue. During the appointment we would also be happy to answer any questions you might have, whether you want to know about any of our services or whether you have something else on your mind. Our Mesa and Queen Creek offices are here to serve you.

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