Some children just can’t have enough of sweet treats. However, those bacteria inside the mouth love the sugar a lot more. That’s why a trusted kid’s dentist in Riverton would often remind their young patients that while sugar may be fun to eat, it’s never good for the health, especially for the teeth.
Sugar is considered the food for bacteria, which produce acids that eat away the enamel and damage the teeth. Without proper oral hygiene, this will eventually lead to tooth decay and even bigger health problems.
So, it’s important to properly monitor the amount of sugar your entire family consumes. Here are the top dentist recommendations on how to reduce sugar consumption throughout the day:
Understand the limit
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the limit for adults is no more than 6 tsp. of added sugar, whereas children should only be allowed to consume no more than 3 tsp. So, when picking a snack for your little ones, be mindful of all the added sugar in it, such as white sugar used for food preparation and even sweeteners like corn syrup. There are other sugar options that have less negative effects on health, such as the naturally occurring ones which are common in healthier food choices such as fruit and milk.
Be extra careful when serving carbs
Many children, and even adults, simply love to munch on chips and crackers. Whether it’s that crunchy texture, various mouth-watering flavors, or even the fact that some come in interesting animal shapes, there’s just something about these snacks that children can’t get enough of. However, what most parents are unaware of is the fact that some crackers are simply cookies with salt
The amount of carbohydrates that are present in these types of snacks do not just break down into sugar. They also have a tendency to stick on top of the teeth surface for a very long period, which causes increased damage on the teeth.
Don’t stick to sticky snacks
Many parents fall victim to the idea that those popular gummy or sticky fruit snacks that are common in many supermarkets are healthy alternatives. This could not be further from the truth. According to pediatric dentists, these trets are actually more similar to candies than fruits, especially in terms of sugar content. In fact, these are even worse than candies because they tend to stick to the teeth longer than other sweet treats like milk chocolate.
Set the best example for your kids
Be the change you want to be and set a great example to inspire other members of your family to be more careful when it comes to their health, especially your children. Have a healthy diet, brush your teeth after every meal for two minutes and make sure to floss between your teeth daily to get rid of any food particle that gets stuck.
Changing your child’s health habits would be a lot easier if you do the same things with them. They’ll be able to understand that it’s not a form of punishment, but simple tasks that need to be done even by adults. This way, you can ensure that your kids will have healthy and beautiful teeth as they grow.
