Oral health is not just about the hygiene regimen your child maintains. Daily brushing and flossing are critical for cleaning the exterior of teeth, but it would mean very little if the teeth are weak and porous. This is where the foods your child eats can have a substantial impact. Think of it this way, good oral hygiene cleans your teeth and good nutrition keeps them strong and dense. Both are vital for achieving your smile goals. In this post, we’re going to focus on the kind of diet that promotes healthy teeth, so continue reading for details.
Calcium-rich Foods
This is a fact that most everyone knows — calcium makes for strong bones and teeth. Even still, many will agree with the concept while completely ignoring the practical implications. So, what does a calcium-rich diet look like? What amount of daily intake is recommended? The following post answers these questions and more.
Foods rich in vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and protein are the building blocks for healthy bones and teeth. Meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and fresh fruits are the types of nutrient-dense foods your child needs daily.
However, many children in the U.S. are not getting enough calcium in their diet. Johns Hopkins, All Children’s Hospital, says that kids need the following recommended daily calcium intake:
Ages one to three years: 700 mg a day
Ages four to eight: 1000 mg a day
Ages nine to 18: 1300 mg a day Read more at Colgate
As you see, the more your child grows, the greater their calcium need becomes. A calcium-rich diet in every phase of development is a wise and worthwhile investment.
More Healthy Foods
Apart from calcium, there are other nutrients that contribute greatly to your smile’s well-being. They can be found in a wide variety of foods made from plants and animal products. Hopefully, you can incorporate into your diet many of the items found in the article below.
Cheese is popular for its calcium content. Calcium helps in strengthening your kids’ teeth and bones. Cheese is also a good source of probiotic bacteria.
Cheese comes from fermented milk, and when treated well, is full of probiotic bacteria. This bacteria lives in your kid’s oral microbiome and will help to strengthen their teeth…
Butter is a great source of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, and K2. Butter is also high in fat content. It serves as a good replacement for sugary foods because sugar is one of the primary causes of tooth decay…
If your child can’t eat casein in cheese, butter can be a good substitute. Butter contains less casein than cheese does. At the same time, butter enhances the flavor of your food while keeping your kids full and happy. Read more at Children’s Dental Dallas
Other healthy foods include carrots, which are rich in magnesium and zinc, and lean meats, like chicken.
Let’s Talk Snacks
Snacktime is another instance where you can introduce healthier foods into your child’s diet. The bites we’re looking at can do more than simply fill a rumbling tummy, so read on for the good stuff.
Before you pack your children’s lunch box or put out a tray of afterschool munchies, consider healthy snacks consisting of meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables that are:
- Low in sugar
- High in minerals such as calcium and phosphate to help repair tooth and gum damage
- Crunchy or need to be chewed well to help produce saliva that washes away bacteria and food particles..
Here are some of our favorite snacks…
- Apples and celery: Both of these choices contain a lot of water and require a lot chewing to eat, which helps keep tooth surfaces clean..
- Nuts and seeds: If there are no concerns with allergies, these crunchy snacks contain significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which protect teeth by repelling acids responsible for harming tooth enamel
- Fish: Salmon, tuna, and other fish are full of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium, perfect for maintaining healthy teeth and bones. Read more at Yonge Eglinton Dental
Ideally, the snacks you provide will leave your child’s teeth feeling fresh even when they’re technically not clean. You’ve just read about some examples, so explore them and other kinds of healthy snacks, too.
After heeding the helpful tips found in this blog post, all your youngster should need to have strong, gleaming teeth is regular dental check-ups and professional cleanings. Dague Dental Solutions is one of the top practices in Davenport, Iowa for pediatric dentistry. Dr. Jolene Dague will make sure that you’re child has a great smile in all stages of growth. Get in touch with us today to schedule a dental appointment for your little one. Call (563) 386-9770 or reach us through the contact form on our website. We look forward to assisting your family with all its dream smile needs.