Healthy Snack for Healthy Teeth - Advice for Busy Mums from Absolute Dental

As a busy mum with two young children I sometime struggle to create the perfect diet for my girls on a day to day basis. Although I ensure mealtimes are healthy, I sometimes look back on the day and realise how many sugary foods they have actually eaten in between meals! Chocolate buttons from nanny, an ice cream on a day out, a biscuit as a treat whilst watching their favourite film. Without realising it, it is very easy to consume a huge amount of sugar which as we all know is not good for our teeth. Making a few changes can make a huge difference to your child's health. Make snacks fruit or raw vegetables such as apples, crunchy carrot sticks or cucumber. These are great for your teeth as extra chewing creates more saliva and help keep tooth surfaces clean. Choose low fat yogurts as these contain phosphates which actually help remineralize teeth. This means that the outer surface of the tooth becomes stronger and more resistant to tooth decay. Avoid sticky, chewy foods such as raisins, cookies, granola bars and sweets as these stick to the tooth surfaces. The longer that food is in contact with the tooth surface, the higher the risk of tooth decay in these teeth. Keep drinks to water throughout the day and if your children insist on juice then allow them to have it at mealtimes only to limit the amount of acid attacks on the teeth. Eat some cheese!! This is perfect to have after a pudding. It's one of the best foods for healthy teeth. Its low in sugar and high in calcium and contains casein which is particularly useful for strengthening tooth enamel. If your children are having a treat then make sure they eat it all at once instead of making it last throughout the day, otherwise the sugar will provide constant fuel to feed bacteria which will lead to plaque developing and tooth decay!! A healthy diet, along with excellent brushing and visiting us every 6 months should mean a perfect healthy mouth for our children. Something all us parents want! At Absolute Dental, we encourage healthy eating habits and have a "Healthy Snacks" information sheet for children and parents - please ask if you would like one of these when we next see you! Sophie