YES, SNACKS AND DESSERTS ARE BOTH TEMPTING AND TASTY! But they can wreak havoc on your child’s teeth. For the health of your little one’s smile, when it comes to sweets, consider what and when he or she is eating.
Don’t Save Dessert For Last?????
We DON’T recommend it, but it makes a point! When your child finishes off a meal with something sweet the starch and sugar may end up camping out on his or her teeth longer while saliva works to wash it away. Eating other kinds of foods last—such as fruits, vegetables, cheese—speeds up the cleansing process and reduces the amount of time your child’s smile is exposed to potentially harmful substances.
Start Making The Shift To More Smile-Friendly Desserts And Snacks
We understand… Eliminating all sweets isn’t easy! The good news is that it probably isn’t necessary either. However, your child can better avoid their negative effects by eating less of them. Your child should try eating snacks that are tasty AND good for his or her smile, including:
- dairy products like cheese and yogurt
- hard-boiled eggs, raw peanuts, almonds
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- sugar-free gum
Whether they’re increasing saliva flow, providing smile-friendly vitamins and minerals, or neutralizing acid produced by plaque, the foods above can help prevent tooth decay. And they’re delicious too!
Easy Action Items:
YOUR mom was right… Now teach YOUR child!
- Limit the amount of sweets your child eats.
- When your child DOES eat something sugary, have them eat it before or with something else.
- Make sure your child cleans his or her teeth after snacks and meals.
- Keep up routine checkups.