Junk Foods that Put Your Child’s Oral Health at Risk!

Your child’s smile is the most precious thing in the world; every time a child smiles, an angel sighs with unbridled joy. However, there are evils lurking out there that might put this precious gift to the world at risk!

Of these, junk foods are at the top the list; they lure your child in with their corrosive, fake sweetness and strip them of their healthy gums and teeth. And given the fact that 1 in 5 children have an untreated decaying tooth, we must be extra vigilant with what our children are eating.
So here’s a list of the most notorious culprits that target your child’s oral health and steal away their smile!

Don’t Munch on the Crunch!

Junk foods are generally not good for health, but they’re especially detrimental for children’s oral health; their gums and teeth are still developing and are more vulnerable to decay. Therefore you must watch your child’s intake of potato chips. Crispy potato chips are easy to get hooked on, but they contain starch that can reside in between the gums, inviting cavities. And since kids aren’t big on flossing regularly, it can gradually deteriorate their oral health if precautions aren’t taken in time.

Try and get them snacking on healthier options like carrots, which are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and can help promote a healthier lifestyle in the future as well.

Candy isn’t Dandy!

Other than giving your child a sugar rush, too much candy can cause tooth decay and cavity formation that’s detrimental to your child’s oral health.

However, since it’s near impossible to keep your child away from candy altogether, try and introduce them to sugarless gums and products that have the ADA seal of approval.

Sticky is Icky

Sugary treats are a no-no all around, but sticky candies like lollipops or caramel treats are especially bad because they aren’t easily washed off and stick to your child’s gums.

Most people try to replace them with dry fruits because they equate them with eating healthy. However, the downside of eating dry fruits is that they too stick to your gums and teeth and are difficult to scrape off. Therefore, always feed your kids dry fruits in moderation.

Help them develop a taste for dark chocolate instead. It’s easy to wash off and has certain health benefits.

Soda Cans Can’t!

The one junk food that just CAN’T make your grocery list is soda. This corrosive sugary drink not only puts your child’s dental health at risk, but also contributes to obesity and heart problems in the future.

Therefore, you have to be particularly careful about replacing soda drinks with healthier drinks in your household; especially if you’re raising teenage boys, who, according to the CDC, are the largest consumers of soda!

Caring for your child’s oral health today will pay off tomorrow. Get in touch with us at Advanced Dental Center, a family dentistry in Germantown, MD where we provide fluoride treatment for children and several other dental procedures to ensure your child’s oral health and safety!