What Foods Cause Cavities?
Parents have the tough job of making their kids’ life enjoyable and doing it in the healthiest manner possible. While everyone loves seeing a child’s face light it with happiness when they have their favorite chocolate cake or mint ice cream, parents know that it’s not something they can do every day.
Not being careful about what your kid consumes will inevitably result in many severe health issues. Regarding dental problems, the different types of food one can consume will affect a patient’s oral health differently. Some common consequences, however, are tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, and complete tooth loss. Of course, this is without considering the pain and discomfort that every condition comes with.
Sweets
Sweets are one of the most well-known causes of cavities in children and adults alike. The sugar in them will react with the bacteria and saliva in your mouth to form acids that erode your tooth’s enamel. Additionally, the acids, bacteria, food residues, and saliva all come together to form plaque, a thin, sticky layer that attaches to your teeth. While the acid by itself won’t do much damage, plaque will stay in your teeth for hours or days at a time if the patient neglects their dental health. If left undisturbed, it will lead to tooth decay.
Soft Drinks
As mentioned previously, any type of sugary food, and sugary drink, represents a threat to your oral health. With soft drinks, however, the problem doesn’t always lie in the added sugars but in how acidic it is. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), acidic drinks and foods will have an acid-like effect on your tooth enamel. Even if you opt for the sugar-free versions, sodas and sports drinks are naturally more acidic due to their carbonation, so it’s best to keep your distance from them and avoid consuming them regularly.
Good Dental Hygiene Tips
Following a proper diet and combining it with good dental hygiene habits will help avoid cavities in children and adults. Here are some basic guidelines for you and your kids to follow.
Make Your Own Routine
Having a proper cleaning routine that allows you to clean every side of your mouth and tongue is very important, but it becomes useless if you don’t brush daily and allow food particles and bacteria to accumulate.
Ideally, parents should teach their children to brush their teeth after every meal. However, we know that following that regimen is very difficult for both adults and children, so brushing at least twice a day is mostly fine. A quick tip to make brushing a routine is for parents to brush with their kids so they can learn by example.
Get the Right Tools
Most people know that the basic tools needed for proper oral hygiene are a soft-bristled toothbrush, dental floss, and fluoride toothpaste. However, what you may not know is that there are a variety of dental cleaning tools available for those who would like a deeper cleaning or need a little helping hand.
Many kids, adults, and teenagers wear some type of appliance that limits their ability to brush and floss properly. To maintain proper oral health, they can use tools such as a floss threader or an interdental brush. On the other hand, a floss pick or a water irrigator is great for those who have some dexterity issues.
Regular Checkups
While maintaining a proper cleaning routine and a good diet will help tremendously in avoiding cavities, it is still necessary to take your child to their Pediatric Dental Office in Roanoke at least once a year for a professional cleaning and checkup.
No one is perfect, and many times, adults will not follow good dental hygiene practices and end up developing cavities. Now add a child that won’t always listen or remember to brush and floss to the mix, and you have even more chances for cavities to pop up. Making them go through a professional cleaning once a year helps stop and prevent any dental issues on the way before they become more serious.
Cavity Prevention for Children in Roanoke, VA
If you have any questions about preventing cavities in kids or wish to schedule an appointment with us for a professional cleaning or checkup, contact us here at Parkway Pediatric Dentistry. We’ll be more than happy to help you and your family stay away from cavity-conducing snacks and habits.