What parents should know and be cautious about.
What type of foods can cause cavities in children?
Parents often ask about snack foods that can cause cavities in children. Candy is notorious as a "cavity-causing food", but other snack foods which are sometimes considered "healthy" snack options such as dry fruit, cereal, gummy vitamins, or organic fruit snacks can also be very damaging to the teeth. These sticky foods stay in those deep grooves of our teeth even after rinsing, and sometimes brushing!
This is another reason why a sealant can be protective. A sealant is a thin material which is placed in the grooves of the teeth to help flatten the surface of the tooth, so food doesn't stick so easily to the tooth. Here is an excellent infographic from Artic Dental, which illustrates visually just how different snack foods can stick to the grooves of our teeth and give the bacteria that cause cavities the perfect substrate to make acid and decay our teeth.
What type of foods are a better snack option?
Fresh fruit/vegetables- a great source of vitamins, fiber.
Milk/dairy products like string cheese - great source of calcium, helps to stimulate saliva.
Water instead of sports drinks, juices(even homemade ones)- great to help wash out to mouth from food particles.
Infographic provided by Arctic Dental
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