February is the month of red hearts and paper valentines — but your family dentist in Southlake is spreading the love this February by celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month! How are you protecting your little one’s smile? Dr. Preetha Thomas has some tips to help your child smile happily and healthily for a lifetime to come.
No Added Sugar in Beverages
Your little one may love sodas, sports drinks, and fruit punch, but all those added sugars mean his or her teeth are under attack for hours after the last drops have been drunk. Because children’s tooth enamel is softer than your own, and given the fact that their brushing and flossing habits are shaky at best, even limiting consumption to one a week or for special occasions can be too great a risk. Fruit juices also contain a whopping dose of natural sugar, even if they do contain the vitamins and minerals that nourish our bodies. Try to limit your child’s consumption of juice in favor of the natural fruit. Think whole oranges, not orange juice. Conclusion? To provide the most protection for your little one’s smile, encourage them to hydrate with drinks like cold, filtered water, soy milk with no sugar added, and other plain, no sweetener beverages.Nutritious (And Delicious) Snacks
Stocking your pantry full of nutritious snacks is a good way to ensure your child’s teeth aren’t under constant attack from the processed sugars kids love. Snack cakes, cookies, fruit jellies, and even sweetened granola bars can all put your child’s teeth at a great risk of cavities. To make everyone happy, choose the snacks that they will love, and that you’ll feel great feeding them. Some ideas for oral health friendly, great-tasting kids snacks include:- Fresh apples and carrots with no-sugar-added peanut butter or hummus
- Fresh grapes instead of raisins, which get stuck in the teeth
- Whole grain snacks over refined grains or “white” bread and pasta
- Muesli without sugar instead of sugary cereals or granola bars
