3 Supposedly Healthy Snacks That Damage Teeth

3 Supposedly Healthy Snacks That Damage Teeth

Being a parent means doing almost everything to ensure a happy and healthy life for your child. You closely watch your child’s diet and try to give them the vitamins they need so that they will grow strong and well.

Surprisingly, though, some nutritious snacks can be good for the body of your child, but harmful for their teeth. Consuming too many of these snacks can lead to severe tooth decay and other oral health issues.

Some of the snacks that are considered to be injurious to your child’s teeth are the following:

1. Trail Mix

Trail mix is one of the most popular snacks available. The majority of children like it as it is favorable and delicious. Moreover, it contains nuts and seeds that provide your child with the recommended intake of protein their bodies need, fat, and fiber. Also, nuts and seeds aid in having healthy teeth and gums thanks to the minerals found such as potassium and zinc. However, not all types of trail mixes are beneficial for your child’s teeth. Some of them compromise dry fruit which leads to an increase in the calorie and sugar found in each serving.

Furthermore, dry fruit is sticky and tends to stay for long on your child’s teeth. As a  result, bacteria and decay forming can find their way to your child’s teeth and produce the acid that attacks the enamel.

Also, keep in mind to prevent your child from opening whole shelled nuts by biting them. This can crack a tooth.

Consider making your trail mix at home with your children. This will be fun for them, at the same time you can add the ingredients you are sure that they are healthy for your child. For safety purposes, select pre-shelled nuts and seed mixes.  You can add dark chocolate chips to your trail mix as dark chocolate includes polyphenols that fight baleful bacteria.

2. Granola Bars

You may think that granola bars boost your child’s energy inside and outside the classroom. They are convenient as they are the easiest to grab-and-go snacks. They fit well inside the bag of your child when going to school. Despite that, not all brands of granola bars are healthy. Some of them contain added sugar and artificial sweeteners that can negatively affect your child’s teeth. Similar to trail mix, granola bars include sticky and chewy food that is stuck in the teeth preventing saliva from neutralizing the plaque and the acid found there. Moreover, they contain Refined Carbs That beak down into sugar and mix with oral bacteria in your child’s mouth, which create acid that erodes tooth enamel.

When buying granola bars for your child, you must carefully read the ingredients list. Choose granola bars that include nuts, seeds, and whole grains as their first ingredients on the list. It is important, as well, to take their amount of sugar into consideration.

Remember, you can always make healthy and tooth-friendly granola bars at home. Seeds, sliced almonds, phosphorus, and magnesium are all that you need.

3. Canned Fruit and Fruit cups

A healthy diet must include various types of fruit. Your child must enjoy apples, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, and others. Additionally, fruits are considered to be an excellent source of important vitamins such as vitamin C. Eating fruits can protect one’s body from serious illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and inflammation.

Canned Fruit and Fruit cups are beneficial for your child’s body.  They give your child the needed notorious to keep them in a good health.

But you must beware. Canned fruit and fruit caps are kept in heavy syrups. The latter help in preserving the fruits, however, they add large amounts of unnecessary sugar that can harm your child. Also, this process usually goes through cocking the fruit, to kill the bacteria, using extra heat that destroys the notorious found in those fruits.

It’s better to give your child fresh fruit. But if buying a can or cup is your only option, then choose those that store fruit in 100% juice rather than syrup.

Final Word

The foundation of good dental health is laid down in childhood. If you want your child to have good oral health you have to closely pay attention to what they eat, and what they should and should not eat. Some foods are good for your child’s body, but not necessary for their teeth.

It’s highly important to know that a lot of sugar will surely damage your child’s mouth. Keeping your child from the above food is not easy and not healthy as they contain several notorious. But as far as possible, parents can restrict the time their children consume them.

Other activities can also be done to protect your child’s dental health such as brushing their teeth and visiting the dentist.