Some things are easy when your kids are at home on summer and winter breaks. The whole family enjoys meals together, and you can make sure that your kids are eating foods that are beneficial both for their oral and overall health. But as soon as the school bell rings in the new semester, it becomes challenging to control what your kids eat when they aren’t at home: greasy burgers and chocolate chip cookies from school cafeterias; hard candies; unhealthy snacks and soda drinks in vending machines and at friends’ houses. The more of these your kids eat, the wider they open the door to tooth decay.
It might be difficult for your kids to resist the temptation unless they have a healthy lunch packed for them that really fills them up. The good news is that there are loads of tooth-healthy foods as helpful for oral health as they are for your kids’ all-around health. By packing healthy lunches, you can make all the difference in their tooth health.
Let’s take a look at what a healthy lunchbox might include.
Eggs
Eggs can be hardboiled and packed individually, or sliced and included on any number of salads or sandwiches. Your child’s still-developing teeth require big doses of vitamin D to fight cavities, and eggs are loaded with it. They also have the protein to leave children feeling satisfied after eating.
Fruit salad
Fruits of all colors are welcome, but there are few that are especially beneficial for oral health. Apples and pears are famous for neutralizing acids, so you can count on them protecting your kids’ mouths from the bacteria that causes decay. These fruits also stimulate the production of saliva, which is necessary for natural cleaning mouths and teeth.
Bananas are another popular tooth-boosting fruit, too. They’re not only super healthy, but are loaded with fiber that leave kids feeling full. The potassium also helps to neutralize the high-sodium foods that you’re often forced to pack, like lunch meats and canned goods.
Veggies
Vegetables such as celery, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli are like secret agents on a mission to protect your kids’ teeth and gums. They have just the right texture to brush lightly brush teeth without the use of toothbrush. It’s best to pack a few raw pieces of these teeth-friendly veggies, but whether your kids will eat them or simply throw them in the trash depends on what you preach at home. Even if you have to include a little bit of low-fat dip to dunk these veggies into, as long as they’re eaten raw they have huge benefits for your kids’ oral health.
Cheese, please
Calcium and vitamin D are of vital importance for growing kids. With adult teeth coming in slowly over the course of several years—and continuing to develop after eruption—these nutrients have lasting implications on kids’ tooth health. Calcium boosts the strength of tooth enamel, while vitamin D helps bodies absorb calcium more efficiently. And where can kids get enough of each? Dairy! Cheese, yogurts and the classic lunch-sized milk cartons are as good as it gets when it comes to promoting oral health for your kids.
If you have any questions about packing tooth-healthy lunches, especially if your child has allergies or other dietary restrictions, call our office!
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