A child’s diet has an important role to play in their oral health. Proper nutrition is needed for overall health and it will also support the development of healthy teeth and gums.
You can visit a paediatric dentist Cleveland to learn more about children’s oral care and what you can do as a parent. One aspect in this is ensuring that the child has nutrient rich food that is needed for healthy teeth and gums. Some important nutrients you need for good oral health are vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous. You need to have calcium for strong teeth and bones to develop. You can find this in milk yoghurt, cheese, and leafy green vegetables. The body can absorb calcium with the help of vitamin D and you can find this in fortified food and fatty fish. By including these nutrients in your child’s diet, you will be able to prevent dental issues and support the growth of healthy teeth. Sugar can lead to many dental issues like tooth decay and cavities. When children consume sugary food and drinks, the bacteria in the mouth will produce acids that lead to the erosion of tooth enamel. This is what contributes to tooth cavities. Favourite foods of children such as baked goods, soda, candy and fruit juices have sugar. You can limit their intake of these and switch to healthier snack options instead like fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Proper hydration is needed for oral health as well.
When you drink water, it will wash away food particles and bacteria in the mouth so that the risk of plaque build-up is reduced. It also promotes saliva production that is needed to neutralise acids and protect teeth. You have to encourage your child to drink sufficient water throughout the day. The intake of sugary or acidic beverages should be limited. Fibre-rich food is great for stimulating the production of saliva. Some examples of these foods are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You can use crunchy vegetables like celery and carrots as snacks as they have a natural cleaning effect on teeth. Some food can be very damaging to children’s teeth when they are consumed in excess. Sticky foods like dried fruits and chewy candies can stock to the teeth and can be very difficult to remove and this will increase the risk of cavities. Hard foods like ice and popcorn kernels can damage the teeth leading to fractures or chips.
It is important to have a balanced diet
So that our child gets all the nutrients needed to maintain good oral health. The meals should have a combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats so that it can support their teeth and gum health. You can use lean proteins like fish, chicken and beans as these will have essential minerals and vitamins. Fibre will be provided by whole grains and you can add healthy fats to their diet using nuts and avocados. It is important to teach children healthy eating habits from the beginning. You can involve them in meal planning andpreparing food so that they can understand how food ends up on their table and why it is important to eat healthy.
