A Children’s Dentist Can Help Your Child Improve Their Food Choices

Working with a children's dentist is wise since it allows you to learn more about oral health and how you can keep your child's teeth in the best possible condition. We have found that parents are generally very concerned about their child's oral health but do not always know how to help them beyond brushing their teeth on a regular basis.

At least twice a year

Naturally, bringing a child to our office twice a year is also incredibly important. Additionally, the choices one makes at home can have a serious impact. The impact is going to be obvious to one's health and lifestyle. As a child grows older, he or she can develop healthy habits and continue practicing them into adulthood.

With that in mind, parents are hugely influential on the future health of their children. As a dentist, we seek to inform and educate so that parents are empowered to help children make healthy choices.

First, consider why it matters

Anything children eat or drink will come in direct contact with their teeth. Food and beverages have the ability to weaken teeth or strengthen them. This is something that most people do not consider, but it is directly influential to a child's oral health. Candy is not the only danger. Many foods that appear to be healthy are actually very bad for the teeth.

If unsure, ask a children’s dentist

Since certain foods appear to be healthy but are actually not, it is wise to discuss anything that a parent is unsure about with a dentist. A perfect example is fruit chews. Whether in a packet or appearing in the organic aisle, they tend to be high in sugar and acid content. To make matters worse, they are incredibly sticky and remain on a child's teeth until they brush.

Sending a child to school with fruit chews means that the child will have the sticky substance on his or her teeth for the rest of the day. In fact, children may potentially keep the fruit chew on the teeth until they brush at bedtime. This increases the risk of them developing tooth decay as the bacteria from the sugar in the chews can begin to form plaque on the teeth.

Things to avoid

Parents need to individually read each item for its sugar and acid content. In general, there are a few rules of thumb that parents can easily follow. Avoiding soda is one of them. All types of soda are bad for the teeth, even the diet versions. The acid content is incredibly high and can directly erode the enamel on the teeth, weakening them and making them more susceptible to decay and damage.

Acidic fruit is also something that should only be eaten in moderation. Oranges and grapefruit, for example, deliver the benefit of vitamin C but they can ruin the teeth. We suggest having children rinse their mouth with water after eating them.

Sour candy and gum with sugar should absolutely be on the "no eat" list.

Visit a children’s dentist

Improving your child's oral health can be as easy as scheduling an appointment with our dentist office. During that time, we can discuss things like how to make healthy choices while also cleaning their teeth to get rid of any plaque that has built up over time.

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