With the holidays in full swing, sugar, sugar and more sugar is everywhere. From decorated cookies and candy canes to fruitcakes, sugar is flooding through the doors. These helpful tips can keep your children’s teeth healthy and ward away sugar bugs.
Limit Sugary Foods
Let’s face it, there is no way of completely avoiding sweets during the holiday season; however, you can limit the amount of sugar you keep in your home. Sugar is a major contributor to tooth decay. Providing the energy that bacteria uses to form plaque, the more sugar, the faster plaque multiplies in size and thickness. To limit consumption of sweets, allow children to pick out a few pieces and enjoy with moderation. Encourage brushing immediately after meals to avoid the “stick-time” of sugar on the teeth.
Encourage Healthy Snacking
Snacking is a huge portion of a child’s sugar intake, and you can help. Instead of soda and a slice of cake, serve leafy greens, cheese, green tea, or citrus fruit, these foods guard against plaque and protect your teeth decay. Sometimes leafy greens are hard to get kids to eat so try ants on a log as an easy to make, healthy snack.
Reward for Extra Brushing and Flossing
Brushing twice a day like normal just doesn’t cut it during December. Morning, night, and after school is a good rule of thumb for how often to be brushing teeth. Make sure kids are brushing one to two minutes each time. Flossing is also very important to do daily. To make it easier for kids, try individual flossers.
Make A Trip To The Dentist
Biannual visits to the dentist are important. Winter break is the perfect time to make an appointment!
For more information about Champagne Family Dentistry, or to book an appointment, visit champagnedental.com.
