As parents, you try your best to make sure your children remain healthy. Oral hygiene is very important, and weighs heavily on what your child is eating. If your child is eating good healthy food, then he/she will have good teeth. However, if your child is eating bad food, then he/she could be heading in the direction of tooth decay.
Devoted Family Dental Suggests you take the following preventative measures to keep your children’s teeth healthy:
Avoid juice & soda
While we already know that juice and soda are both overflowing with sugar and are bad for your overall health, these drinks are also terrible for teeth! Juice and soda are two of the biggest culprits that effect oral health when taken over a period of time. The plaque bacteria in your mouth, uses the sugar to create acid that attacks the enamel. Sugary drinks can also cause cavities and dissolve tooth enamel.
Drink water & milk instead
Water and milk are amazing for teeth! Since water is natural, you don’t have to worry about anything bad harming your children’s teeth. Water is great because it helps wash away food debris and keeps saliva levels high. Because of the protein and minerals that saliva contains, it helps fight tooth decay.
Milk is another amazing beverage. When your child drinks milk, their teeth get stronger and healthier. Milk contains high amounts of calcium, which protects teeth against gum disease.
Say no to candy
Candy should be avoided if you want your children to have healthy teeth! Candy gets stuck in the grooves of teeth, and can stay there for a long period of time until your child brushes. While candy debris stays on the teeth, bacteria builds up in the mouth area leading to decay. Candy is not only full of sugar but can also provoke a dental emergency from a broken or chipped tooth. The best alternative is to chew sugarless gum.
Limit your intake of acidic foods
Eating acidic foods is probably the worst thing you can do for your teeth. Food with high amounts of acid alters the pH balance of the mouth which allows bacteria to grow. The bacteria in the mouth can then weaken the enamel. Drinks like pineapple juice, orange juice, and anything with a huge amount of acid are very dangerous.
Don’t chew ice
Ice isn’t for chewing! Even though ice is free of sugar and has a normal pH balance, chewing it can have negative effects on your child’s teeth. Over time, the constant crunching can cause teeth to break and chip.
Keeping your child’s teeth healthy should be a huge priority. There’s nothing like having pearly whites that look impeccable when you smile.