Oral Hygiene Basics: Choosing the Best Diet For Your Child’s Teeth

Healthy teeth are a vital part of eating and enjoying food, but certain foods can be more harmful to dental health than others. An important component of oral hygiene basics is learning about foods that help and hurt the teeth. This can allow parents to guide kids' choices when caring for their teeth. Read on to learn more about how to build a tooth-healthy diet for your children.

Foods to avoid

While some foods can be detrimental to the teeth, they are still acceptable to eat occasionally. Simply recognizing the problems they can cause and cutting back on them when possible is a key part of oral hygiene basics that improve dental health.

Sugary and starchy foods

Sugary or starchy foods, like candy and soda, can stick to the teeth more than other types of food, creating a place for bacteria to gather and feed. Bacteria in the mouth is the main cause of plaque, which builds upon the teeth and causes them to deteriorate over time. The longer sticky foods are left on teeth; the more bacteria can gather and grow. Therefore, kids need to remain vigilant in brushing and flossing their teeth after consuming these types of food.

Acidic foods

Food and beverages that contain a higher acid level — like citrus fruit, tomatoes, pickles, and fruit juices — can break down tooth enamel over time. While many of these foods, such as fruit, can also come with health benefits, it is important to avoid eating them for long periods of the day. Restricting consumption of these foods to mealtimes or snack time can help cut back on the damage that occurs over prolonged exposure to acidic foods. Unlike with sugary foods, parents should advise their kids to wait a few hours before brushing their teeth after eating something acidic because the acid can make teeth more sensitive and prone to damage.

Foods that can be beneficial

Many of the foods that are good for the body's overall health can also be very beneficial to the teeth. Most vegetables, for example, contain minerals that help strengthen the teeth. Dairy and cheese products can also be beneficial because of their high calcium content. Some chewy foods, like meat and certain fruit, help the body generate more saliva, which helps wash away acids and protect the teeth.

Water

Drinking water has a long list of health benefits and is another mainstay step of basic oral hygiene. Drinking water throughout the day is healthier than soda or other sugary drinks. Rather than sticking to the teeth, it helps rinse away debris that attracts bacteria. Many brands of drinking water may also contain fluoride, an important substance that reinforces teeth and prevents cavities from forming.