Healthy Diet

How to Pack a Lunch that Promotes Oral Health

March 28th, 2019

As a parent, you can help your child achieve a healthy smile in many different ways. One way you can greatly help is by packing a lunch that improves their oral health.

Stay Away from Sugary Granola

Granola cereal, dried fruit and trail mix can seem like healthier options, but they’re often packed with extras that aren’t healthy at all. In fact, dried fruit sticks to teeth and fuels bad bacteria that cause cavities, and granola can be packed with extra sugar and fat. If you’re buying granola or health cereal, stay away from those that have marshmallows, chocolate pieces, and even candy. Look for a higher fiber content, and granola that contains more natural ingredients like nuts and rolled oats.  

Avoid Sugary Drinks

Allowing children to sip on sugary beverages over long periods of time increases their exposure to sugar, and acid attacks that can erode their enamel. Try to limit or remove sports drinks, sodas, and high-sugar juices from their diets to aid in their oral health. Sugary beverages are one of the leading sources of sugar for children, and some can even be disguised as “healthy drinks” like nutritional water or sports drinks.

Pack Water

Water helps rid teeth of damaging acids and food debris, and help keeps saliva flowing – which naturally keeps teeth clean. Water is the healthiest beverage for teeth, and we suggest packing it instead of any other drink in your child’s lunch. Also, don’t fall for nutritional waters. Most of these “enhanced” water products have an excessive amount of sugar, and aren’t great for teeth or overall health.

Add more Whole Foods

When packing your child’s lunch, add in natural, whole vegetables and fruits whenever you can. Instead of packing starchy chips, try to add small pieces of celery with a healthy dip, or baby carrots. Instead of packing an imitation fruit snack as dessert, try packing fresh, fibrous fruit like strawberries, kiwi or apples. By replacing sweets and starches with fibrous fruits and vegetables, you can help your child avoid unnecessary sugar, and help them keep their teeth clean while they’re away from home. Fiber naturally cleans teeth by scrubbing away food particles leftover from a meal.

Eat Nuts Instead of Chips

Crackers, potato chips and other starchy foods can get stuck in the small areas of tooth surfaces.  Without proper brushing, these foods provide sugar to bacteria that feed on it, which ultimately leads to tooth decay. Instead of chips, pack nuts instead, which are full of fiber and healthy protein.

Dietary Choices Affect Teeth

The food your child eats affects their teeth, and influences their overall oral health. Visit our office for more information about mouth-healthy diets, and how food can impact teeth.  

Teeth & Tummies! 5 Foods that are Great for Tooth & Gut Health

April 6th, 2018

A mouth-healthy diet can go a long way in helping your entire family improve their oral health, but can also better your general health as well. Here are 5 foods that your teeth – and stomach – will love. 

1 - Probiotic Yogurt 

Probiotic yogurt is an absolute must-have for those seeking mouth & gut health. Yogurt contains calcium, which builds strong tooth enamel, and casein, a protein that helps prevent bacteria from sticking to teeth and causing plaque buildup. Probiotic yogurt is also packed with healthy enzymes that improve digestion, and probiotics that help remove bad gut bacteria that can lead to inflammation and cramping.

2 - Kale 

Kale, and other vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, are all fantastic for teeth and promoting stomach health. Kale is high in water and fiber, which promotes healthy digestion. Plus, fiber naturally cleans teeth of food debris, thereby helping to prevent plaque buildup. Kale also contains glucosinolates, which helps fight inflammation and aids in regular food digestion. 

3 - Mangos 

Mangos help keep healthy gut bacteria alive, which promotes regular and healthy digestion. They are also packed with vitamin C, which aids the development and maintenance of healthy gums. When shopping, buy whole mangos, rather than mangos stored in preservatives that are packed in sugar.  

4 - Dark Chocolate 

Healthy food can also be delicious, just look at dark chocolate! Dark chocolate has some amazing benefits for teeth. It contains flavonoids, which help eliminate bad oral bacteria that fuels cavities and tooth decay. Dark chocolate helps gut health by feeding healthy gut bacteria responsible for breaking down and digesting food.  

 Almond Butter 

Whole, raw almonds can be tough on teeth, but almond butter can be amazing for teeth and digestive health. Almond butter is packed with calcium, which helps build strong teeth, healthy gums, and strong tooth enamel. Almond butter also contains a good amount of healthy dietary fiber, which promotes regular digestion. By eating almond butter instead of almonds, you can still take advantage of their nutritional benefits without the risk of cracking your teeth. When shopping for almond butter, buy a jar that is minimally processed and contains the most amount of fiber. 

Try a Mouth-Healthy Diet 

When shopping for mouth-healthy food, try to get a lot of whole fruits and vegetables and incorporate plenty of healthy fiber. Try to avoid fruit packed in sugary syrup, as well as starchy carbohydrates that can stick to teeth and fuel unhealthy plaque buildup.

Why Sports Drinks are Terrible for Teeth

June 8th, 2017

Sports drinks are widely popular, and used by people of all ages. But, children and teenagers are particularly fond of sports drinks. In fact, studies have shown that these “thirst quenchers” are consumed by 62% of adolescents every day. But, sports drinks can be awful for teeth, and can give cavities the fuel they need to thrive. Below, we outline why sports drinks are terrible for teeth.

Packed with Sugar

Did you know that sports drinks can contain more sugar than leading cola beverages, with as much as 19 grams of sugar per serving? All of that sugar does considerable damage to tooth enamel and can lead to cavities and other oral issues. Sugar helps provide bad oral bacteria with the fuel it needs to create cavities. Some of the leading sports drinks can contain up to 21 grams of sugar per 20 Oz bottle – which is just over half of the amount sugar that your body needs on a daily basis, according to the American Heart Association.  

High Amount of Acid

A 2012 study showed that sports drinks are often highly acidic. This acid interferes with the mouth’s ability to regulate a healthy pH balance, and can lead to the enamel erosion. Tooth enamel is literally the hardest substance in the human body, but it’s no match for a steady stream of acid. 

Sodium Overload

Some sports drinks contain up to 200 milligrams of sodium per serving. Keep in mind that a serving is usually 8 ounces, which means that a large bottle (20  32 Oz.) of the leading sports drink can have more sodium than a bag of potato chips. The sodium actually plays a hydration trick on your body, and makes you want to drink more water – thereby quenching your thirst and hydrating your body.

Try Water Instead

If your child is participating in an intense game with constant movement and an elevated heart rate, a small serving of sports drinks may be okay on occasion. But, most youth sports don’t involve that level of activity, and water is almost always the better choice. 

Water – especially water with fluoride – helps strengthen and clean teeth. With every sip, water cleans teeth by ridding them of any leftover foods or acids. It also washes away bacteria and sugars that can eventually lead to cavities. Water has zero calories, and helps restore the pH balance in your mouth to fight unhealthy levels of acid. But, water also hydrates the body as athletes sweat.  

While there is no exact measurement, the American Council on Exercise recommends that people consume 7 – 10 ounces of water every 10 – 20 minutes of exercise, depending upon how much the individual sweats. 

Can Fruit be Bad for Teeth?

April 27th, 2017

A more nutritious diet can help your child live a fuller, more healthy childhood. There are endless dietary actions that you can take to improve your child’s health, but one of the most common and effective methods is to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet. But, not all fruit was created equal. Sometimes, fruit can wreak havoc on young teeth that leads to cavities and tooth decay. Here’s some instances when fruit isn’t so peachy for your child’s health. 

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a food that you should avoid if you’re trying to improve your child’s oral health. Dried fruit contains much higher levels of sugar than their natural counterparts, and none of the water that helps make fruit so healthy. Let’s use prunes as an example. Prunes are just dried plums, except just one cup of prunes contains more than 400 calories and 45 grams of sugar. However, one plum contains just 75 calories and 16 grams of sugar. The bottom line is that you should choose fresh fruit and not dried fruit.

Sugary Fruit Juice

Fruit juice may seem like a good alternative to sodas and other sugary beverages, but fruit juice often contains as much – if not more – sugar than some of the leading sodas. Fruit juice has been extracted from the fruit, and in the process, it loses a lot of its nutritional value. After the fiber has been taken out of juice, what’s left is essentially sugar and water. Limit the amount of sugary fruit juices your child consumes, or, dilute juice with some water to reduce the sugar concentration.

Fruit Packed in Syrup

A lot of canned fruit is packed in a syrup that contains unhealthy amounts of sugar. The added sugar can lead to cavities, and many more health issues if your child eats it too frequently and in large quantities. When you are shopping for canned fruit, look for those that have no added sugar or those packed in 100% fruit juice. But the healthiest way to enjoy fruit is by eating fruit that hasn’t been altered in any way.

Smoothies

Smoothies can be a fantastic way to get the nutritional benefits of fruit, and the added mouth-healthy rewards of nonfat Greek yogurt. However, if made improperly, smoothies can be packed with sugar and calories. When making (or buying) a smoothie, make sure to limit using fruit high in sugar. Try to avoid figs, grapes, mangoes, pomegranates and cherries, since these fruits have very high amounts of sugar.

Citrus Fruits

Citric fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons and tangerines have a high amount of acid in them that can lead to tooth enamel erosion. Enamel erosion leaves teeth more susceptible to cavities and tooth decay. If you serve your child citrus fruits, rinse their mouth out with water after they’re done eating to wash the acid away, and help prevent cavities from forming.

Does Your Child Have a Healthy Diet?

Our office helps parents teach their children about earning a healthy smile, and keeping it long after they leave our office. A mouth-healthy diet is an important part of maintaining optimal oral health. If you’re concerned about how your child’s diet may be affecting their teeth, then bring them into our office. We will evaluate their smiles and offer a variety of treatment options that fit their case. We can also give you tips on eating for better oral health, and point out food that can lead to tooth decay.