Your child’s diet plays an important role in his/her oral health. Too much of sugary and starchy food can cause tooth decay.
As a parent, the best thing you can do is to help and teach your child in making healthy choice of food. In this article, we will discuss about the diet for the children that is healthy and tooth friendly.
Fruits and vegetables
It is good idea to offer fruits and vegetables as a snack instead of carbohydrates. Limit having bananas and melons as it contains concentrated sugar or else, brush your teeth as soon as you eat them. Encourage your child to have an apple, as they are crunchy and has high water content that helps in diluting sugar and washing away the leftover food particles.
Avoid chewy and sticky food
Raisins, granola bars, dried figs, peanut butter cookies, caramel, jellies etc. get stuck to the teeth that makes difficult for the saliva to wash it away. If your child consumes this type of food, make sure that you brush their teeth immediately after they eat.
Avoid your child to snack frequently
As far as possible avoid snacks. Important thing to be noted in consuming the snacks is frequency than the quantity consumed. Frequent snacking is like providing constant fuel in feeding bacteria leading to development of plaque and tooth decay.
Serve sugary treats along with meals but not as snacks
If you plan giving your child any kind of sweets, give them immediately after the meals. Usually, there is an increased amount of saliva in the mouth during and soon after the mealtime that makes it easier in washing food away from the teeth.
Include cheese in your child’s daily diet
It is good idea to serve cheese as a snack or with lunch. Cheese coats the teeth with calcium, thus protecting them from decay and cavities. Moreover, cheese help trigger the flow of saliva that washes away food from the teeth.
Include good sources of calcium in your child’s diet
Calcium an important mineral help in building strong bones and teeth. So, it is recommended to include good sources of calcium in child’s daily diet. Some of the good sources of calcium are milk, curd, cheese, broccoli etc.
Instead of juice or soda, offer your child plain water
Sodas, juices or even milk contains sugar. As far as possible limit them and instead give your child water, as it will aid in washing away of leftover food particles.