Did you know that your child’s diet has a large effect on their teeth? Some foods that your child is eating could even be hurting their teeth vs. some can help make their teeth healthier and strengthen them. Here are some top foods that your child may be eating & why they’re hurting their teeth.

Foods that Harm Teeth

Starchy Snacks

Crackers and potato chips are often times a parent’s go to snack because they are easy. But these snacks are harmful because just as easy as they are to carry around, they’re just as easy to get stuck into your child’s teeth and surfaces. If your child doesn’t brush properly, the sugars these foods leave, start to feed the bacteria which leads to tooth decay. After eating starchy snacks, your child should brush and floss to avoid tooth decay, if that isn’t an option, swish cool water to get food debris out of teeth.

Sugary Drinks

This is the most common place where children are getting their source of sugar, and sometimes they are even disguised as healthy like sports drinks or nutritional water. Allowing children to sip on sugary drinks over a long period of time allows sugar to attack their enamel longer. For healthy mouths, it’s best to limit or eliminate sugary drinks.

Sticky & Chewy Foods

Dried fruit, jelly beans, caramel, or anything with a syrup that will stick to children’s teeth can harm the teeth because when it sticks to the teeth it’s hard for saliva to wash away any sugar or bacteria.

Food that Help Teeth

Yogurt

Yogurt is great because it contains a natural probiotic that helps fight plaque buildup and gingivitis.

Water

Water is one of the best things your child can put into their mouth because water cleans their teeth as they drink it. Water helps to wash away sugars and bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.

Nuts

Nuts are great because they naturally contain both calcium and vitamin D which helps teeth stay healthy and shield against bacteria. They’re easy to pack which is a great alternative to packing starchy snacks.

If you have questions about what foods your child should stay away from and what foods will help promote their oral health, ask us at your next visit! We want to help you keep your child’s teeth their healthiest. To schedule an appointment, you can call us at 781-780-2246 or contact us on our website.