How an Unsuitable Diet Can Damage Your Child's Teeth

How an Unsuitable Diet Can Damage Your Child's Teeth
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Andrew]Stephanie Andrew

Keeping children's teeth healthy can present a few problems. Children like to eat chocolates, sweets and lollipops washed down with soft and carbonated drinks. Everything that goes into their mouths seems to be full of sugar, which may cause tooth decay. Many of us are able to get our children off sweets and snacks containing high sugar levels and put them on to low sugar snacks as healthy alternatives. Unfortunately, without our realising it, these snacks may do as much damage to their teeth as the high sugar foods.

Low sugar snacks may be bad for your child's teeth

Allowing your child to eat low sugar snacks as an alternative to regular sweets and chocolate bars may be keeping their waistline slim but is it doing their teeth any good? One of the UK's leading dental insurance companies, believes that the answer is a definite "no".

The acids often found in low sugar snacks can destroy the enamel of your child's teeth unless treated in time. Many of the snacks advertised as being low sugar including energy bars have high levels of acidity. Bars that contain a lot of fruit also contain a lot of acids such as malic and citric.

The enamel of the teeth is attacked by acids produced by bacteria resident in the mouth or by the food previously eaten. Food particles will stick to the teeth after eating sticky so-called healthy snacks. Bacteria can produce acids from the high levels of carbohydrates often found in these 'healthy' snacks.

Do health-food snacks cause as much damage to teeth as sweets do?

Yes - but because they also provide vital nutrients they are considered to be acceptable. In order to grow in a healthy way a child needs proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins, none of which can be obtained from the purely energy supplying sugary snack.

The residue left sticking unnoticed between the teeth after eating healthy protein rich food such as peanut butter provides sustenance for bacteria.

Which choice is best?

To prevent your child's teeth from serious decay you can take several measures. If your child has to eat sweets and chocolates, make sure that the amount and frequency are limited. Excess consumption of sugary food can give rise to other problems. Whilst a good rel=nofollow [http://www.dencover.com/dental-insurance-plans.aspx]dental plan may not be able to prevent tooth problems, purchasing one will help you deal with the expenses should they arise.

Encouraging your child to eat other foods such as fruits, nuts and vegetables instead of sweets and snack bars will give them the nutrients they need and is the best option, especially if their mouth is rinsed with water instead of soft or carbonated drinks.

A bottle of water included in your child's packed lunch will clear away the acids that will have built up around the teeth.

Your family dentist should carry out regular check-ups even though your child's teeth look healthy to you. Affordable dental insurance for the whole family is available to buy online or by phone. The costs of visits to the dentist, whether private or NHS, can be completely or partially covered by this.

Stephanie Andrew writes and publishes articles for [http://www.e-page-solutions.co.uk]Sussex based SEO consultants ePage Solutions, whose clients include Dencover Dental Insurance - providing affordable UK dental insurance plans for private or NHS treatment.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-an-Unsuitable-Diet-Can-Damage-Your-Childs-Teeth&id=4937379] How an Unsuitable Diet Can Damage Your Child's Teeth