The No. 1 cause of cavities in children is poor diet. Even though baby teeth eventually fall out, children can still do a lot of damage to their teeth by eating foods that have lots of sugar and citric acid. Keeping baby teeth clean will help your child chew food correctly and make it easier to speak clearly. Below is a picture of a healthy tooth and then a picture of a tooth with a cavity.
Crunchy fruits and vegetables that clean the teeth, foods high in water, and protein sources rich in calcium and phosphorus that help teeth re-mineralize are the best choices. Other foods should be avoided most of the time. Unfortunately, these often are the foods that kids find most appealing. Limit consumption as much as possible and make sure your child brushes their teeth after he or she is done. If brushing is out of the question, at least have the child swish water around in his or her mouth to wash away some of the sugar. Here are the best and worst food for your child’s teeth.
Best Foods for Teeth
Worst Foods for Teeth
Children’s Dental Health: What to Drink
Most dentists recommend that between meals, children drink only water. Water helps cleanse the mouth of unhealthy bacteria, and it’s good for overall health, too, keeping your child hydrated. It’s OK to drink something other than water with meals – milk, for example, is a great bone-strengthener for young children.
However, stay away from soda, juice, and sugary sports drinks. Not only are they empty calories for kids, they also can harbor sugar and citric acid that leads to tooth decay. If your child has a more sophisticated palate, they may request tea or coffee. These, too, can be bad for the teeth, staining the delicate enamel. Try to have the child drink them through a straw to limit staining.
How to Care for Children’s Teeth: Tooth Hazards
Let’s face it, kids will be kids. Sometimes they won’t make the best choices about their dental care, and it’s up to you to back them up. Advise your kids to avoid these dental dustups, which can lead to damaged or lost teeth:
Chewing ice: This breaks down the enamel of the teeth, leading to premature wear and even chips.
Sports injuries: If your child plays a contact sport, such as football or field hockey, make him or her wear a mouth guard to protect teeth, gums, and lips from injury.
Eating popcorn kernels: Those tough little seeds are like chomping on a mouthful of rocks and can fracture kids’ teeth.
Slacking on brushing when they have braces: You can get cavities when you have braces.
Using teeth to open bottles: Stop your kids from using their teeth as bottle openers; remember, they’re not beavers. Teeth are for chomping, not leveraging a lid.
Drinking juice in sippy cups: Sippy cups should be used as a bridge from bottle to cup, and like any bridge you shouldn’t stay on it long. Sippies can hurt the formation of the teeth, especially when the child is slurping sugary juice from it.
Dental Hygiene for Kids: Setting a Good Example
The best way to establish good baby dental-care habits for your child in infancy and beyond is to set a great example. Children watch their parents like hawks and imitate everything they do. Act like a role model for great dental care. Eat the right foods and avoid sugary or staining beverages. Brush after every meal, floss once a day, and go to a family dentist twice a year for checkups.
It's also important to visit the dentist twice a year. Besides checking for signs of cavities or gum disease, the dentist will help keep your teeth extra clean and can help you learn the best way to brush and floss.
It's not just brushing and flossing that keep your teeth healthy — you also need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Remember, the plaque on your teeth is just waiting for that sugar to arrive. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of soda. And don't forget to smile!
