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Your pediatric dentist at Kidtastic knows what it takes to maintain a healthy smile, and we’re always looking into how diet plays a role in oral health. The next time you’re at the grocery store, avoid putting some of these cavity culprits in your shopping cart.
Fruit Juice
Think about it – we serve orange juice with breakfast, apple juice with lunch and it’s not uncommon to find a fruit juice on the dinner table. Parents should understand that these beverages are brimming with sugar, promoting tooth decay.
You don’t have to forego juice altogether – spring for less sweet alternatives and always make sure to read the label. Any juice containing 30g of sugar and above is considered majorly suspect. Make sure to provide juice to your children only in moderation.
Breakfast Cereal
You won’t have to look far along the breakfast table to see a common theme – lots of breakfast cereals are loaded with the sweet stuff. Cereals traditionally marketed to children can cause problem cavities and even worse, provide a poor choice for nutrition.
Look for natural alternatives that are low in sugar. Teach your children to make themselves simple breakfast sandwiches or introduce them to eggs and mixed nuts. The protein in these foods will ensure they stay full and remain focused better throughout the school day.
Fruit Snacks
While snack time has to leave the door open for some sweeteners, the type of snack you choose can make all the difference to your oral health. Rule of thumb – the stickier and sweeter a snack item, the worse it actually is for your teeth.
Sticky candies and fruit snacks have a tendency to stick sugar in trouble areas of the mouth, slipping between those narrow valleys between teeth. You don’t need to cut them out altogether, but ensure your child brushes promptly after consuming these types of snacks.
