In order to keep harmful things away from your child and to enrich their lives with good things, you do your best, as a parent. It is your job to protect and teach them after all. The most common childhood disease is tooth decay. Cavities are more likely to be found in children than asthma. You may be wondering if there’s anything else you can do to safeguard your little one, other than brushing and flossing every day. You may try to limit their sugar intake every day when it comes to their diet. Especially their smile, this is a great start for promoting their well-being. To provide the nutrition their mouth needs to stay healthy, there are also good foods you can give your kids. Today, we at Smile Reef would like to share the nutrition that best impacts your child’s smile.

Importance of Nutrition on Dental Health

Your child’s diet can also have a large impact, although healthy dental habits are certainly essential for cavity-free teeth. You can promote bacterial growth and make it more challenging to clean teeth with starchy, sugary and sticky foods. Kids can also make caring for their teeth easier in addition to healthy foods providing the vitamins and minerals your child needs to have healthy teeth. There are many smile-friendly foods in fact. Below are good examples.
Foods Rich in Calcium. Children need to get plenty of calcium and Vitamin D if you want your child’s teeth to be strong against cavity-causing bacteria. These foods make it more difficult for cavities to form since they reinforce their enamel. Cheese, yogurt, milk, almonds, beans, and leafy greens are examples of foods containing calcium and Vitamin D.
Foods with High Water Content. Lots of water can be found naturally in some foods. This reduces the likelihood of cavities since the water-filled food can help rinse food particles and bacteria out of the mouth. In order to help your child’s mouth stay clean, have your kids eat cucumbers, watermelon, and pears that have high water content.
Fibrous Foods. It can actually benefit oral health when the mouth has to work hard to break down certain foods. To help the mouth produces more saliva to clear out this food, leafy greens and broccoli are very fibrous are good examples. Assisting in keeping your child’s mouth, eating these foods, including carrots and apples are ideal.
Water. It is the healthiest substance your child can consume, though water isn’t considered food. As it also contains no sugar whatsoever, water keeps their mouth hydrated with saliva and rinse away bacteria. Being proven to prevent cavities, if you are sourcing your water from a community source, it likely also has fluoride in it as well. Choose water instead, the next time you’re about to give your child juice or a sports drink. Your child’s diet is a major contributing factor to their oral and overall health in the end. You can improve their ability to fight off cavities and stay as healthy as possible by making some smart selections.

Pediatric Dentistry

In addition to optimal nutrition habits, it is important your child develops excellent oral habits including brushing and flossing twice a day as well as seeing a dentist every 6 months. Call Smile Reef to schedule a cleaning and check up for your child.