Kids and food for better dental health

In order to provide your family with solid nutritious food in this day and age, it means being willing to look no further than the nearest grocery store. Stores today are full of foods with their processed nutrition stripped out. Find good whole food or health food stores and look for foods that are high in fiber and nutrients and low in chemical additives and sugars.

essential nutritious foods

Children are in their growth spurts and therefore require foods from each food group to maintain proper health. Include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats at each meal. Typically, a child’s diet has a higher concentration of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain starches and sugars, some harmful and some essential. Complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits are more beneficial, while starchy carbohydrates in pastas and breads are more problematic.

All types of food and snacks can cause tooth decay. Cookies, candies, pastries, and cakes receive the most attention when looking at cavity-causing foods. However, fruit, milk, peanut butter, pretzels, chips, and juices are just as bad. Regular eating habits along with regular brushing habits will go a long way.

Water

Water is such an often overlooked topic in nutrition discussions that I want to give it special attention here. Children will naturally appreciate water. Their bodies want it. Give your child water to drink instead of flavored drinks of any kind. Most people don’t get enough good water in their bodies.

Water is a natural lubricant and cleanser. It is a necessary catalyst for most of the body’s essential metabolism, as well as acting as a cleansing agent to remove waste and toxic materials from cells and the body as a whole.

Today, most water sources need additional filtering to ensure that it does not contain more harmful ingredients than good. Bottled water is an alternative, although it can be expensive. Good inexpensive water filters can be found with a little research and are well worth the effort.

Finally, just drinking water during and after eating will wash out your mouth and help dilute any remaining food substance, greatly reducing the risk of cavities.

Tips for maintaining good dental health in children

* Avoid giving sticky foods like raisins, honey, caramel, syrups and molasses to children. If not, insist that your children brush their teeth immediately after eating such foods.

* Give them raw vegetables and fruits as snacks. Vegetables and fruits such as cucumber, pear, celery and melon stimulate saliva secretion during the meal. This helps to eliminate the sugars present in these fruits and vegetables and prevents the accumulation of food residues.

* Give cheddar cheese as an alternative snack or for lunch. This triggers the formation of saliva and helps remove food particles.

* Give children water instead of juices or soft drinks. Juices and soft drinks have high levels of sugar. Soda also has carbolic acid, which is extremely destructive to teeth. It is also helpful to dilute fruit juices with a little water.

* Use a fluoride toothpaste if you choose for brushing. Fluoride helps improve enamel hardness and prevents tooth decay. Flossing removes food deposits between teeth where brushing cannot.

* It is best to brush your teeth twice a day and preferably also after meals and snacks. Drink a lot of water!

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