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You may remember receiving a lollipop as a reward for a successful doctor’s visit when you were a kid, but hard candies like lollipops are one of the worst treats for kids’ teeth. Getting kids to maintain good oral care can be a challenge, so help them out by limiting the following foods that are notorious for causing kids’ cavities

Top 3 Cavity-Causing Foods for Kids

1. Hard & Sticky Candies

candy-causes-kids-cavitiesHard candy is doubly destructive for kids’ teeth because sucking on them exposes the teeth to sugar over a longer period, and chewing them can also cause damage. Gummy or sticky candies also encourage decay because they stick to the teeth and are easily lodged in crevices. The longer that sugary food particles stay in contact with a tooth, the more enamel is compromised. 

2. Crackers, Cereal & Cookies

Cookies may seem obvious because of their sugar content, but boxed crackers and cereal cause kids’ cavities too. Carb-rich foods are broken down by saliva in the mouth, and the sugars that are a byproduct of this initial digestion encourage tooth decay. Even a “healthy” cereal is not an ideal snack for your little one to be munching on all day.

3. Soda & Sports Drinks

Soda is an obvious culprit for kids’ cavities. But so-called sports drinks typically contain as much or more sugar than soda. Even diet drinks are acidic, like their sugary counterparts, and cause damage to the enamel of the teeth. Get your kids used to drinking water when they are thirsty rather than bottled beverages with a host of unhealthy ingredients.

 

Good oral hygiene for your kids starts with brushing and flossing, but their diet has a huge impact on oral health as well. Discovery Dental in Eagle River, AK, offers preventive kids’ dentistry, including exams and teeth cleaning. Call (907) 622-5437 for an appointment or visit their website to meet the kid-friendly team and learn about preventing kids’ cavities. 

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