Proper nutrition aids the physical and mental development of kids, playing a particular role in fortifying their teeth, mouth, and gums. Here’s what you need to know about the link between healthy eating and dental care, and how dentists suggest teaching your kids proper nutritional habits.

Your Guide to Children’s Nutrition & Oral Health

The Link

Kids need a balanced diet that contains items from each food group. When children eat too many starchy and sugary foods, these carbohydrates tend to linger on the surfaces of the teeth. Bacteria in the mouth eat sugars and starches, causing them to release acids that wear away the tooth enamel, resulting in cavities. When carbohydrates get stuck between the teeth or on the chewing surfaces, decay may form.

Foods to Avoid

Chewy and sticky foods often get stuck to the teeth and make kids more likely to develop cavities and decay. Foods such as raisins, dried fruit, jelly beans, caramel, and molasses make it difficult for saliva to wash away sugary and starchy residues. Other food items that tend to cause sugar to linger on teeth include mints, hard candy, and cough drops, which is why kids should eat them sparingly.

Foods to Eat

When you feed your kids snacks, skip the sugary and starchy foods. Instead, feed them fruits and vegetables with high water content. Celery, melons, cucumbers, and pears have enough water to keep sugar from clinging to the teeth. Since cheese encourages the flow of saliva, feed your children Swiss, cheddar, and Monterey jack as snacks. Replace sodas and sugary juices with water and calcium-rich milk to support dental care.

Keep your kids’ teeth, mouth, and gums healthy with help from the dental care team at Ronald W. Ristow, D.D.S., L.L.C. This dentist provides family and pediatric services to clients throughout Oconto Falls, WI. Call (920) 846-3163 any time your child has a dental emergency, and visit the website to learn more about dental care, exams, and cleanings.