Are You Afraid to Go to the Dentist?

Many people start a new diet at the beginning of the year, but it's also important to take your child's diet into account when making your resolutions. A healthy, balanced diet plays a crucial role in your child's oral hygiene, so consider making the following changes as the year progresses:

Increase Their Vegetable Intake

Most parents know that vegetables are extremely important in a child's development, and that they should ensure they serve up an ample amount of vegetables with each meal. However, many parents don't realize that vegetables are extremely important in maintaining a child's oral health. This should come as no surprise, however, as without the right mix of vitamins and minerals teeth won't be able to grow in strong. Therefore, to boost your child's oral health this year, increase the amount of vegetables you serve with their lunch and dinner.

When it comes to buying groceries for your children's meals, remember that not all vegetables were made equal. To give your kid's teeth the best start, make sure you keep the following vegetables in stock at all times:

• Cucumber – Cucumber is rich in vitamin C, which helps prevent bleeding gums and teeth instabilities.

• Carrots – Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, which will help to keep your child's tooth enamel healthy. Carrots also contain a large number of minerals that can help prevent tooth damage.

• Cabbage – Cabbage, as well as other dark green vegetables, is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. As such, it is the perfect vegetable to strengthen your child's teeth and ensure that they grow in properly.

Keep Tabs on Their Sugar Intake

Most people know that sugar can lead to tooth decay; however, many people fail to adjust their diet to limit their sugar intake. These days, the amount of processed foods on the market can make it difficult to identify the sugar content of various foods. However, it is vital that you keep tabs on your child's sugar intake to ensure their teeth can grow in strong and healthy.

The best way to limit your child's sugar intake is to use whole foods where possible. This means buying fresh meat, vegetables and fruit, which don't have any added sugar. If you are buying on a budget, you can opt for the frozen variety, but just make sure you check the nutritional information to ensure you aren't buying food that has high added sugar.

You should also try to limit packing sports drinks in your child's lunch. These calorie-dense, sugar-filled drinks may seem like a great choice for an active child, but the truth is they can wreak havoc on your kid's teeth. Sticking to natural drinks like water or milk will help keep their teeth healthy as they grow and develop.

Give Them a Hearty Breakfast

As a busy parent, breakfast can be a difficult time. Racing around the home ensuring your kids are ready whilst preparing for work yourself is no easy task, but it's vitally important you take the time to feed your children a hearty breakfast to ensure their oral hygiene is maintained.

Cereal is one of the most popular breakfast choices for children, but cereal can be a hidden danger for your child's teeth. The main reason for this is related to the sugar content – some of the most popular cereals have sugar content near the 50% mark.

Rather than whipping up a bowl of cereal for your kids, consider making them a breakfast that contains a high amount of dairy. Dairy products are naturally high in calcium, which will help your kid's teeth stay strong and tough. This means that cheese, milk, and yogurt is very much on the menu!

For more tips and information about your child's oral hygiene, talk with a pediatric dentist, such as those at Cobbe Dental & Orthodontics.