Most parents understand that sugar = cavities and understand the importance of teeth brushing when it comes to good dental health. But did you know that some types of desserts are healthier for teeth than your child’s lunchtime sandwich? It’s true!
Cavities in teeth are caused when cavity-causing bacteria are fed by sugars and create acid which erodes tooth enamel. The more often the bacteria is fed, the higher the likelihood of tooth decay.
It is pretty difficult and unhealthy for the rest of the body to avoid all sugars. There are healthy sugars – such as those found in milk (lactose) and fruit and veggies (fructose) and the carbohydrates found in whole grains, pasta, rice, potatoes and snack foods like chips and crackers. Our bodies use these sugars in many important ways. However they can pose a problem to our teeth if we continuously feed the bacteria in our mouths. The bacteria don’t discriminate – they like ALL sugar, whether it’s from a healthy natural source or from a box of Chips Ahoy! They also don’t count carbs – frequncy is more important than quantity at a single sitting. A sandwich at lunch will affect the bacteria as much as a sandwich with some chips and a cup of juice. In terms of oral health, eating a lot of high-sugar or starch foods at one sitting is healthier than eating the same amount over the course of an entire day.
One way to prevent the constant feeding of bacteria is to limit “grazing” behaviors in children. Children who are constantly eating small amounts of food will never give their mouths a chance to clear out and neutralizing the acid. In our family, we implemented a more structured eating plan supported by our dentist. The kids eat three meals plus two snacks. On the advice of our dentist, we space eating so that there is at least two hours between every snack and meal.
Another thing parents can do is become educated about foods and beverages that promote good oral health. These are foods that don’t stick around (literally) on teeth for very long after they are chewed. Some foods also have anti-cavity properties and can potentially halt or reverse decay. Incorporate these foods into your child’s snacks or end a meal with any of these foods:
- Aged cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella and Monterey jack cheeses are anti-cavity foods. They quickly clear from the mouth and have anti-cavity properties.
- Avocado, carrots, raspberry, strawberry, and yellow plum have all been found to contain anti-cavity ingredients.
- Chewing gum containing Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural fruit ingredient that promotes dental healing.
Additionally, the following foods may not contain anti-cavity properties but they clear from the teeth very quickly and are good snacks from a dental health standpoint:
- Chocolate
- Peanuts
- Cashews
- Licorice
- Jelly Beans
- Caramels
Some candies that may seem sticky, such as caramels or jelly beans, actually clear our teeth faster than seemingly harmless foods such as chips, crackers, cookies or bread. That’s right – those Easter candies may be healthier on the teeth than Mom’s homemade bread!
Foods to avoid include sticky foods (like fruit roll-ups, raisins and gummy candies) and any candy that will remain in your mouth for a long time (suckers, hard candies, chewing gums containing sugar).
Children should drink only water between meals and brush teeth after every meal and snack. Children should never taken bottles or sippee cups of fluids other than water to bed with them at night as constantly bathing teeth with sweet fluids such as milk, formula or juice is extremely damaging to teeth.
After learning all of this, I was very excited to understand that Snickers candy bars were a much better snack choice than granola bars for good dental health! Of course, my waist line disagreed. And there is the challenge: often good oral health and good overall physical health are in conflict. Parents can do well by just keeping the snacking and grazing to a minimum, encouraging routine and frequent tooth brushing and limiting fluids to water except on special occasions.