What does your child reach for at the grocery store? Do they choose the healthiest, low-sugar treats, vegetables, and fruits? Or do they gravitate toward the sugary, crispy, crunchy prepackaged snacks with a long list of ingredients? They most likely request treats and snacks targeted toward children, such as crispy chips, sugary chocolate bars, and dippable crackers. Children are naturally drawn toward the more unhealthy items, and who can blame them? They taste good, are full of sugar, and have fun marketing with commercials and snazzy packaging.
Though these treats can be tasty, those sugary snacks can hurt your child’s teeth. Keep reading to learn how diet and nutrition impact the development of your child’s teeth for a better understanding of why a healthy diet is crucial to your child’s oral health.
How a Poor Diet Can Negatively Impact a Child’s Tooth Development
Who doesn’t want a breakfast full of chocolate chip muffins and prepackaged cereals? We parents grew up watching commercials with a tiger promising us we’d have a great day if we consumed his sugary cereal, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Children need a healthy and nutritious diet for each meal. Failure to eat healthy, low-sugar foods can result in poor oral health, negatively impacting the development of your child’s teeth. Below are just some of the many ways a poor diet can negatively impact your child’s teeth:
Weakened Enamel
As children age, their bodies continuously work hard to accommodate all their growth. Bones lengthen, muscles grow, and the brain undergoes major milestones through early adulthood. While all these developments are happening in their growing bodies, once their permanent teeth come in, the growth of their teeth stops. As a result, their enamel won’t regenerate, so taking care of their teeth is a must for a strong, healthy enamel for a lifetime.
Sugary foods that lack nutrition break down the enamel, putting their teeth at risk of weakened enamel. The mouth has healthy bacteria that help protect the teeth from harmful microbes, which are the nasty things that break down the teeth’s enamel, cause cavities, and gum disease. The more unhealthy foods they consume, the higher their risk of weakened enamel.
Higher Risk of Tooth Decay
Let’s face it – no one enjoys the process of getting a filling. Though we’re extra cautious here at Rhoades Family Dentistry and take every measure to keep our patients comfortable during the process, it’s not exactly fun to get a cavity filled, especially for children. Unfortunately, consuming an unhealthy diet puts your child at risk of tooth decay, leading to more cavities and more visits to the dental office. While genetics plays a role in your risk of cavities, excellent oral health routines and a nutritious diet can help.
Increased Risk of Gum Disease
Though periodontal disease isn’t as common in children as it is in adults, kids are still at risk of developing gum disease. Anyone is at risk of developing gum disease, but those with a healthy diet who brush and floss daily are less likely to develop gum disease. To avoid red, swollen, or bleeding gums, be cautious of diet and your child’s teeth development by choosing nutritious foods and instilling excellent oral hygiene at a young age.
Long-Term Poor Oral Hygiene
Did you know that oral health, diet, and nutrition are linked? Those with poor eating habits have an increased risk of developing oral health concerns, including weakened enamel, bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. An unhealthy, poor diet and child teeth development only enhance the risk of developing long-term poor oral hygiene. Healthy and nutritious diets can help reduce tartar build-up, and instill excellent oral hygiene routines in children could lead to long-term good oral hygiene.
Tips for a Healthy Diet & Child Teeth Development
We understand that getting children to eat healthy, nutritious foods can be challenging, often resulting in rejecting those healthy foods offered to them. However, healthy habits can be instilled at any age, so it’s important to continue encouraging a healthy diet and excellent oral hygiene. Below are some tips for a healthy diet and a child’s teeth development:
- Be a positive role model by eating nutritious, healthy foods yourself. Your children will copy your habits, often mimicking what you do, including eating more fruits, vegetables, and healthier choices.
- Limit sugary foods by choosing safer sweets like fruits or dark chocolate.
- Offer plenty of options; keep healthy snacks on hand, including grab-and-go options. Kids are always on the move, making it easy to grab the unhealthy, pre-packaged foods.
- Continue to offer healthy foods, even if rejected.
- Keep a routine that sets clear meal and snack times to limit snacking.
- Get the whole family involved – go grocery shopping together, cook together, or do anything that gets everyone involved in choosing and eating healthy foods.
- Daily brushing and flossing
- Keep up with dental cleanings.
Though diet and child teeth development are linked, you can improve your child’s eating and oral hygiene habits to avoid negatively impacting your child’s teeth.
Rhoades Family Dentistry Can Help Your Child Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene
Rhoades Family Dentistry offers dental care for the entire family, including routine cleanings, preventative maintenance, fillings, and more. Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll care about your family’s oral health and are here to help recommend the best type of oral hygiene practices for your entire family, including your children. Visiting the dentist often and getting routine dental cleanings will help improve your child’s teeth development as they grow.
Book an appointment today by scrolling up and clicking “BOOK AN APPOINTMENT” on the top left of your screen or by calling (913) 782-8900. We look forward to serving you by providing excellent dental care and giving your family healthy smiles!
