As a parent you are always trying to find healthy, tasty food for your children. Of course you cannot stop your child eating sweets or cake, but you can certainly use some tips from dental experts to pack a lunch that supports oral health. Supporting your child’s oral health is the first step in keeping their general health in check. With a few changes to their daily food you can support it. Here are some tips for a good lunch your child will happily eat.
Lunchboxes for oral health
Seeing your child’s lunchbox empty is of course one of the nicest moments for parents. Here are some proven ways of livening up the box while keeping teeth free of decay.
Switch to healthy cereal bars
It may surprise you, but what you take for a healthy, energy-rich bar is full of sticky sugar. The bar filled with oats, grains and nuts does contain some nutrients, but it is not ideal for your child’s milk teeth. The dried fruit in the bar and the chocolate that sticks to the teeth encourage the growth of bad bacteria, which demineralises the enamel and causes decay. Give your child cereal bars or healthy cereals without sugar and with plenty of fibre instead. Look at the fibre content and choose the one with more. Do not go for chocolate-coated bars filled with chewy fruit.
Skip sugary or fizzy drinks
Giving your child a bottle of cola may leave them feeling refreshed, but it also affects their teeth. Drinking sugary or fizzy drinks can attack the enamel and make the teeth vulnerable to bacteria, in particular Streptococcus mutans. Give them unsweetened juice, buttermilk or natural coconut water instead as a healthy substitute that does not harm the teeth and goes well with any meal.
Pack plenty of fibre-rich fruit and salad
Add fibre-rich food such as raw fruit, salad and vegetables instead of packaged or starchy crisps. You can add strawberries, cucumber, carrots, apples, broccoli or mushrooms to make sure you are giving your child the right lunch for oral health. Eating fibrous food keeps your child’s teeth clean, makes them strong and helps them avoid unnecessary sugar.
Include a handful of nuts
When giving your child a snack, you might reach for a packet of biscuits or some chocolate or cake. These fill the stomach but also affect oral health, since the sugar settles in the pits and fissures of the teeth and causes decay. Packing nuts such as almonds, cashews and raisins helps keep the teeth clean and keeps them from eating the sweet things afterwards.
Do not forget the water bottle
Water can wash everything away, including the sticky film of sugar on the teeth. Give children a bottle of water so they can keep sipping. Do not choose flavoured or sweetened water, though, since it contains sugar and ultimately leads to decay.
Let your child chew cheese
Cheese is a wonder food that children love, and it also supports oral health. It is high in fat and contains calcium, which keeps the enamel healthy and balances the pH in the mouth. Eating cheese also stimulates saliva production, which washes away plaque and bacteria and keeps the teeth clean. You can also combine it with vegetables, use it in a salad or as a filling.
Dietary tips for your child’s oral health
Diet is the main factor in supporting or worsening oral health. The responsibility for keeping a child’s teeth healthy lies with the parents, and the first step is teaching healthy eating habits. A healthy lunch and protecting the teeth can have a great influence. Turn to our experienced paediatric dentist at Zahnchirurgie Köln to learn more about looking after your child’s mouth. Remember: healthy milk teeth are the basis for healthy permanent teeth. Arrange an appointment at Zahnchirurgie Köln now.
