Starting from when they’re really little, we want to educate the parents. We want the parents to come in at one year old, and that’s not necessarily for the kid. Sometimes we do have patients with cavities at 15 months old, and we feel awful that that has happened at that point, but it’s really to educate the parents to try to prevent from getting decay, from getting cavities. And part of that is diet and nutrition. When they’re little, we don’t want them to go into bed with milk or juice in the bottle. Some parents will say, “Well, I just had a little bit of juice and a lot of water.” Juice is juice. It still has sugar in it. We prefer just plain old water at a certain point.
If you’re going to give your child milk before they go to bed, we prefer that they have the milk, brush their teeth, and then put them to bed. If they really need a bottle, is it nutrition, meaning they need the milk because they need that nutrition, or is it that they just need the comfort? If they need a bottle just for comfort, we ask them to try just plain water, and then the milk can come again before the brushing of the teeth, and then just a bottle with water in the crib if they’re thirsty or they need that sucking, that non-nutritive sucking, comforting that they need.
As they get a little bit older, then diet and brushing, we encourage while the child is sitting in a highchair still at that point, or a booster chair, that you brush after every solid food feeding. So, even if a baby is eight or nine months old, you want to get those teeth clean before they get out of the high chair. So, you’re not chasing them around trying to get the teeth clean, but just keep the toothbrushes at the kitchen sink. Take the toothbrushes out with the spoon and the food and the cup, and just brush their teeth really quickly. They only have like six or eight teeth. I mean, just brush them, get them out of the chair, and then send them on their way.
If the kids are getting juice or chocolate milk or milk with a meal, we ask you to keep that juice or chocolate milk at the table when the child is done. So, if they’re done with the meal, they’re done with the juice and the chocolate milk and the milk and leave it at the table, and they can go and play. We don’t want this drinking and sipping, this take a drink, go run and play, take a drink, go run and play, because it’s the frequency that bathing the teeth with that sugar that whole time and then your mouth is producing an acid to break down that sugar, that’s what really causes decay.
So, parents at two or three, “Oh, they never get candy. I don’t understand why they’re getting cavities,” because chocolate milk has chocolate in it, but regular milk has natural sugar. Juice, of course, has unnecessarily calories, but also sugar in it as well. So, it’s important that after they’re done at the table, they just get water. So, anything in between meals should just be plain water. So, parents just think candy, but what about carbs?
So, we have kids who are big carb eaters. They only eat pasta. That’s all they eat. They eat mac and cheese, buttered noodles, lots of bread, crackers, goldfish. Oh, my God, goldfish is so popular, right? Even when my son was a kid, every snack was like, I have a bag of goldfish or Cheez-It’s or some kind of cracker, right, or those puffs that just melt in your mouth. Well, they just melt and they just stick to the teeth, because a carb turns into a sugar. Those kids are not brushing their teeth after every meal because at five or six years old, it’s almost impossible to get a brushing after lunch. So, we want at least two brushings a day and to try to stay away from some of those carbs as well as the candy.
Promote Good Nutrition for Healthy Teeth in Lincolnwood, IL
What your child eats and drinks greatly impacts their dental health. At Dentistry for Kids, we prioritize education. During your child’s cleaning and exam, we teach them about foods and beverages that can lead to cavities and other dental issues. With a focus on proper nutrition for healthy teeth in Lincolnwood, IL, you can:
- Promote lasting oral health and overall wellness
- Prevent cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease
- Encourage healthy eating habits with a balanced diet
- Recognize which foods and drinks to limit
Contact us today at 773-985-1515 to schedule your child’s appointment. Ask about our in-house membership club!
Boost Your Child’s Overall Health With Nutritious Foods
A poor diet can harm your child’s teeth and overall health. Bacteria that cause cavities thrive on sugary, starchy, and processed foods like candies, chips, and soda. A simple guideline is that if it’s good for their body, it’s good for their teeth. During your child’s cleaning and exam, your dentist will offer advice on the best foods for maintaining strong teeth and healthy gums.
Here are some foods we suggest incorporating into your child’s diet along with their dental benefits:
- Fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables aid in cleaning teeth and gums by stimulating saliva production. Saliva helps eliminate harmful substances from the mouth.
- Dairy products such as cheese are rich in calcium and phosphorus, which help strengthen tooth enamel. They also increase saliva production, aiding in the removal of bacteria and food particles.
- Nuts and seeds are excellent snacks rich in vitamins and minerals. Just be mindful of which types you give your child, as some nuts can be hard to chew.
As children grow, controlling their diet becomes more challenging. Teaching them about nutrition early on helps them understand its impact on their health and sets them on the path to a healthy lifestyle.
For helpful tips on nutrition for healthy teeth in Lincolnwood, IL, call Dentistry for Kids today at 773-985-1515 for an appointment. You can also request an appointment online.
In order for your child’s teeth to grow and develop correctly, it’s essential for them to have a healthy diet. When they consume lots of sugar or processed foods, it attracts bacteria that can weaken their tooth enamel and damage their oral health. Good dietary habits can protect their gums and strengthen their teeth.
When we perform a cleaning and exam on your child, we can provide tips and suggestions on ways you can improve their diet. We can recommend healthy snacks and offer suggestions for introducing your child to unfamiliar nutritious foods. You should also limit snacking, since it can leave food particles and bacteria on your child’s teeth. This leaves them susceptible to decay.
If you want a healthy smile, you’ll want a diet rich in whole grains, fiber, fruits and vegetables, calcium, and lean proteins. Make sure you avoid sugary drinks or sticky sweets, which can damage your child’s tooth enamel. Have them drink plenty of water too! This washes away bacteria from their teeth and gums.