If you are concerned regarding your children’s snack consumption and its impact on their dental health, know that you are not alone! Today, children’s diets often include many snacks which might come as an alarm bell for you, but some snacks are better than others. While many snacks can be very harmful to your child’s teeth, numerous snacks are surprisingly healthy and equally tasty!
The Top Healthy Snacks To Add To Your Kids’ Routine
Fruits
Snacking on fresh fruits can be an extremely healthy habit for every kid, regardless of age. Fruits are rich in fiber and provide children with multiple necessary vitamins which are essential for their growth. Many of these fruits clean plaque and help strengthen the gums of these children from an early age. Some fruits that are high in sugar should be given in moderation including bananas and grapes. Fruit juice is very damaging to the teeth and should be replaced with water.
Cheese
Cheese is a great source of calcium, which strengthens bones and teeth. Cheese is also rich in phosphorous, which cleanses the teeth by removing the plaque from their surface, keeping the enamel strong. Use it as a snack itself or have it with other fun foods like pizzas, salads, and sandwiches! Avoid snacks that combine cheese with crackers as this combination likes to stick to your teeth and cause cavities.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is the new favorite snack among many kids. Luckily for parents, peanut butter can be extremely healthy for children, enriched with proteins and fiber. Most peanut butters are low in sugar but high in nutrients. Peanut butter is a great snack for kids and, if you have extra, dogs love it too!
Unhealthy Snacks To Avoid
Sweets
If your kid has a sweet tooth, you need to be mindful of the implications those sweets might bring along. It is advised to eliminate hard candies, gummies, pretzels, and sweetened popcorn from your kids’ snacking routine. The sugar from these sweets usually feeds the bacteria in your mouth. This bacteria produces acid that ultimately causes cavities in teeth. What makes it worse is the fact that most of these food items stick to the teeth, allowing more time for this bad bacteria to break down the teeth. Replace these common candies with chocolate for healthier teeth!
Soda
Sodas not only contain a huge amount of sugar but are also acidic. The sugar itself causes tooth decay, just like candies do. In addition, the acidic element of soda dissolves the enamel via the demineralization effect. This causes a dual effect on the teeth leading to worse cavities. Other sugary drinks like chocolate milk, sports drinks, boba, and some coffees are also some of the leading causes of cavities. Stick to water whenever you can!
Dried Fruits
While dried fruits are considered to be healthy for children’s growth, they can be extremely injurious to their teeth! Dried fruits consist of a high sugar content that sugar bugs love! The sticky nature of such snacks results in your kid’s teeth being compromised by bacteria and results in cavities.
Taking care of your children’s teeth can be a difficult yet critically important task as a parent. Hence, it is imperative to be mindful of what your child consumes and what effects those snacks have! If you are concerned that your child may have cavities, or want advice on cavity-preventing diets, see your pediatric dentist!