Tips for Good Snacking Habits:
- Offer your child low sugar snacks like vegetables or cheeses.
- Cut down on the “exposures” per day that your child eats sugar in food and snacks. Acidity stays high in the mouth with frequent snacking, increasing the risk of cavities.
- Avoid soft, sticky sweets that lodge on and between tooth surfaces such as fruit chews, toffee, or even dried fruits.
- Natural sugars (found in breast milk, fruit, milk, bananas) have the same effect on your child’s teeth as refined sugars (found in soda pop, ice-cream, and candy). Remember even seemingly good foods like fruit pouches contain sugars that can be harmful if exposed to the teeth for long periods of time.
- Don’t give your child sugar-rich foods that stay in the mouth over a long period and prolong the acid attack, such as gum, hard candies, lollipops, etc.
- If you do serve sweets, serve them with meals. Increased saliva flow during meals helps neutralize the effects of sugar on the teeth.
- Brushing and flossing after snacks and meals is important for preventing cavities that can form from exposure to sugar.
