Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best things you can do to promote your overall health, but certain foods promote healthy teeth and gums too! You can also prevent cavities and promote healthy adult teeth in children by keeping their mouth clean and healthy. Below are four foods that will you keep their teeth clean, and help get them a healthy smile.
Cheese
Cheese is high in calcium, which promotes strong teeth. But the benefits of cheese don’t end there. It also contains a protein called casein which strengthens tooth enamel and helps to prevent cavities. Try adding a couple of slices of cheese to your child’s lunch every day to give them more calcium and casein!
Add some berries to your yogurt for extra healthy benefits!
Yogurt
Like cheese, yogurt is high in calcium and casein, but it also contains a high amount of healthy bacteria. The healthy bacteria in yogurt helps fight the bad bacteria that can stick to your teeth and lead to cavities. We suggest having a cup of non fat Greek yogurt everyday as a snack, or giving it to your child at breakfast as a healthy source of dairy.
Kale
Kale is high in fiber and low in calories, which makes it an optimal healthy vegetable. But, did you know that kale also contains calcium and B vitamins? Calcium strengthens teeth, and B vitamins help treat and prevent gingivitis, often called gum disease. Try adding some sliced kale to the top of your child’s pizza, or make delicious kale wraps!
Carrots
Carrots are full of fiber and vitamin A. As you eat carrots, they stimulate saliva production which helps prevent the buildup of bad bacteria that can lead to cavities. Carrots are a great handheld snack that you can take anywhere, or you can shred them up and put them on top of a salad.
Ask Your Pediatric Dentist
Consult your child’s pediatric dentist about the best foods for their oral health. By keeping their primary teeth healthy, you can prevent cavities in the incoming adult teeth, and give them a head start on a healthy adult smile. Don’t have a pediatric dentist? Visit our search page to find a pediatric dentist near you!