While All Kids Dental of Suffolk is here to serve all your pediatric dental needs, sometimes, the best choice in day-to-day dental care is preventative measures. Read on to learn more about nutrition choices & snacks that are teeth-healthy and kid (and adult) friendly.
How Does Incorporating Calcium Benefit My Child’s Dental Health?
Dairy products such as milk and cheese can be incredibly beneficial to your child’s dental and jawbone health. Not only is there the benefit of calcium, but a protein called casein strengthens tooth enamel. Meanwhile, the phosphates found in dairy products contribute to reducing acidity. Studies have shown that Monterey Jack, Swiss, cheddar, and other aged cheeses can help trigger a flow of saliva that aids in washing away food particles from teeth.
Yogurt and other cultured dairy products contain probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that prevent the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria in the mouth and the digestive tract. Together, probiotics and calcium can reduce your child’s risk for tooth decay and gum disease.
What Is The Importance of Vitamin D?
When you incorporate Calcium into your or your child’s diet, Vitamin D is key to proper calcium absorption. While your child can get their daily dose of Vitamin D from playing outdoors in the sunshine, there are also dietary options if the Great Outdoors is not as accessible. Foods such as eggs, salmon, sardines, and mackerel are vitamin D-rich.
What Are Calcium-Rich Snacks For Lactose Intolerance?
A calcium-rich diet for lactose intolerant children can be beneficial for their overall health and their dental health. Some lactose-free, calcium-rich options include lactose-free milk, soy milk with calcium, tofu, kefir, and yogurt. Certain varieties of cheese, such as Gouda, Swiss, and Edam are great sources of calcium too. Picky eaters might have questions, but mixed in with other dishes, canned sardines and salmon are both calcium and vitamin D-rich.
What Are Fresh Fruits And Vegetables A Better Choice Than Fruit Snacks, Dried Fruit, and Dried Fruit Leather?
You may not know this, but the sugary, sticky texture of fruit snacks, dried fruit, and dried fruit leather make them cling to teeth. On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars, but also water to dilute the sugars as they are ingested. It is also believed that chewing on crunchy fresh fruits and vegetables can remove plaque from the surface of teeth and encourage the production of saliva, which has mouth-cleansing functions. Portable snack ideas include apples, strawberries, celery sticks, cucumbers, and carrots. Because of the enamel-eroding citric acid found in oranges and grapefruits, it is important to remember that with citrus fruits, moderation is key.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Nuts?
Certainly, nuts should be avoided as snacks should your child or their friends have a nut allergy. But for anyone who isn’t allergic, nuts can be a nutritious and convenient snack. Almonds and peanuts not only have calcium, but vitamin D. Peanut butter is an easy pairing with apple slices and celery sticks. Cashews are an especially nutritious option, as they are full of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamin E, and B vitamins such as thiamine, folic acid, and vitamin B6.
A healthy diet in combination with a great oral health routine and regular dental visits at All Kids Dental can keep your child happy, healthy, and smiling.
