If you are a new parent, your folks’ advice over the years is probably coming back to you now that you have a child of your own: no snacks before dinner, don’t talk with your mouth full, brush and floss your teeth twice a day, and don’t drink too much soda or eat too much candy! All of these admonitions are wise ones from a health as well as an oral hygiene perspective; but here is a little information that your parents might not have known: candy and soda are not the only foods that can cause significant problems with tooth decay.
The bacteria that naturally live in our mouths thrive on carbohydrate-rich foods that get left behind on our teeth after we eat. These sugars are broken down by the bacteria and cavity-causing acids are created as a by-product. Because soda and candy are nothing BUT sugar, they have been designated as Public Enemies Number One and Two: but bacteria don’t differentiate between carbohydrates that contain simple sugars like sweets or complex ones like fruit. They thrive on both; and therefore, all carbohydrates are potentially harmful to your child’s dental health.
Here is a list of 10 surprising foods that may cause tooth decay in your children:
- Peanut butter
- Raisins
- Spaghetti
- Fruit
- Cereal (even with no sugar added)
- Nuts
- All-natural juices
- Baby formula
- Crackers
- Chips
Most of these foods are nutritionally important, and therefore parents should not cut them out entirely: indeed, carbohydrates of all types are an important source of energy.
What should parents do?
- Moderation in all things: make sure you child eats a balanced diet that is not weighed too heavily toward carbohydrates
- Make sure your child brushes and flosses at least twice a day, preferably after every meal, and especially after consuming sugary snacks
- Make twice-yearly visits to a good Utah pediatric dentist such as Stevenson Pediatric who specializes in caring exclusively for children’s teeth.
Your parents were right: too much candy and soda is bad; but don’t forget about the other culprits as well!