Children’s Dentist in Phillipsburg Discusses Healthy Snacks

You take great measures to ensure your child develops a healthy, beautiful smile. You make sure they brush and floss their teeth properly each day, while also taking them to the dentist every six months. However, there is another aspect to preventive care that you may be overlooking. The foods your child eats can either help or hurt the development and health of their teeth. With the school year starting once again, make sure you are packing healthy snacks for your child to promote a beautiful smile. As your children’s dentist is Phillipsburg, New Jersey, we are here to help families in Stewartsville, Easton, and Bethlehem maintain lifelong healthy smiles.

Choosing Snacks for a Healthy Smile

It is pretty common knowledge that your child should avoid consuming large amounts of sugar. Not only are foods that are high in sugar bad for their health, but they are bad for the teeth as well. Children who have a large sugar intake are more susceptible to cavities. However, it seems like sugar is found in just about everything, especially when it comes to snacks for children. You can easily provide your child with healthy, nutritious snacks that will protect their teeth and overall health.

One of the best snacks you can give your child is cheese. Cheese does not contain added sugar and it is also high in calcium—perfect for promoting the healthy development of teeth. Not only is cheese a yummy snack, but it also has a neutralizing effect on the acids in your child’s mouth. By snacking on cheese, you will help your child prevent tooth decay as the cheese combats the damaging effects of acid in the mouth. When choosing cheese, choose low-fat cheese to also help limit your child’s saturated fat consumption.

In addition to cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent healthy snacks. While fruits do contain natural sugars, they are healthier than processed sugars. Not to mention, the juiciness of the fruits helps to increase saliva production, which will help cleanse the mouth in between brushing. Plus, fruits are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, perfect for a healthy body and teeth.

Vegetables, especially dark leafy vegetables, are also an excellent choice for healthy snacks. Leafy vegetables contain high amounts of calcium, which is needed for strong healthy teeth. In addition, they contain many other vital nutrients to protect your child’s immune system and overall development.

Start the Year with a Healthy Smile

Healthy teeth and gums start from the inside out. To protect your child’s teeth from damage while ensuring they develop properly, choose healthy snacks to pack in your child’s lunchbox this year. As your trusted dentist serving patients in Allentown, Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg, New Jersey, we want to see your child maintain their healthy smile throughout the school year.

Protect your child’s teeth from damage with a balanced diet, great home oral hygiene, and regular appointments with their children’s dentist. If you need to schedule a regular checkup and cleaning for your child, contact our office today.