It is not easy to feed children especially in the growing years. Their likes and dislikes mean a lot and they rebel for anything fed against their will. Parents get emotional and give them whatever they ask for which sows the seed of unsettling demands. It is not possible to inculcate healthy eating habits in children right from the start but we must watch their dietary practices. There are certain foods that they might like but must avoid as these are bad for their dental health. Some of these foods are much loved by kids but for their stronger teeth, it is necessary to avoid their consumption.
7 Worst Foods for Children’s Teeth
Let us tell you seven foods that you should refrain from giving your child.
Carbonated Drinks
We have seen many kids loving cold drinks and other aerated drinks a lot. Some cannot live without drinking at least a glass of cold drink every day. These drinks are extremely bad for your kid’s dental health. Carbonic acid present in these drinks cause tooth enamel erosion that causes early decaying. Besides, these also cause sensitivity in the long run.
How to prevent the damage:
- First and foremost, try to limit their intake. Gradually, make them leave it.
- Ask them to drink water after drinking these carbonated drinks.
- Rinse their mouth after drinking these drinks.
- Brush their teeth 1-2 hours after having carbonated drinks.
- They should be brushing with a kid-friendly toothpaste twice a day daily.
Packaged Fruit Juices
This might come as a surprise to many parents who thought fruit juices are good. Well, fresh fruit juices are best but packaged juices are worst. No matter how healthy and real their claims are, they do have high sugar and preservatives content that makes it unhealthy for kids. The sugar present in these gets stick to your child’s teeth and erodes them over time. It it very important to rinse mouth with water and brush teeth after consuming packaged juices. This ways, the damage is less. However, the permanent solution to this problem is giving them fresh fruit juices, preferably homemade fruit juices to provide only nutrition.
Candies and Sweets
Almost every child loves candies. This can be called their weakness as if you want to get something done through them, just offer candies and their favorite sweets and your work is done. But this should be occasional and not regular. Everyday consumption of candies, sweets and overly sugary foods pose risk of dental damage and tooth decay in children.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are healthy as these are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants but they might not be so good for children with developing teeth. This is because citrus fruits have high acid content that can cause tooth enamel erosion. If your kid eats a lot of citrus fruits on a regular basis, he can face teeth sensitivity and enamel erosion over time. Orange is the least acidic fruit in this family and so, it is less harmful, you can give your child oranges but that too in limits.
Pickles
Both Indian pickles and pickled vegetables are not good for your child’s teeth. These have acids(vinegar and acetic acid) whose regular consumption increases the risk of tooth decay even in adults. Not to forget acidity that these cause when you overconsume them. If your child is fond of pickles, limit their intake and tell them that these can cause tooth loss.
TIP: To eat pickles with reduced risk of damage, stuff it inside a snack so that it doesn’t come in contact with teeth directly.
Potato Chips
Is there any child who doesn’t love to eat chips and crackers? This is a universal favourite snack item but not healthy at all especially for children. It is one of the worst foods for children’s teeth as these are loaded with starch that gets stuck between teeth. This serves as a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and so, causes plaque buildup over time. If your child is unable to leave their beloved chips, make them brush twice daily without fail with a good toothpaste.
Popcorn
Yes, sadly popcorns are not good either! This is regarded as one of the healthiest snacks but not for kids. Those store and packaged popcorns loaded with butter, caramel and salt particularly need to be restricted from your kid’s diet because it is bad for teeth. It might get stuck in between teeth and lead to cavities in the long run.
It is better to avoid giving your child these food items. It could be difficult but beneficial for your baby and their teeth. To prevent all sorts of oral problems, it is important that the brush their teeth twice a day every day.
