In their growing years, kids require a nutrition-dense diet for their overall physical, psychological and emotional development. While you try your best to include nutrient-rich food in the diet, when it comes to snacking sometimes you unknowingly allow the kids to gorge on seemingly harmless, but unhealthy snacks.
Like many parents you might pick up packed food labeled as “healthy snacks” from the supermarket aisle, they might harm your kid’s oral health. A majority of the snacks available in the market are filled with incredible high amounts of sugar which pose a serious risk of tooth decay and cavities.
Feeding your kid something that is not only nutrient-rich, but also good for their oral health can become a major concern. This becomes all the more difficult, especially when you have to pick up from a row of hundreds of options.
Here, we have listed down some of the seemingly healthy, but not-so-tooth-friendly snacks that might cause cavities and eventual tooth decay among kids:
Fruit Snacks
Fruit snacks are healthy, but only when they are consumed in moderate quantities. These snacks are loaded with sugar which is not only responsible for causing obesity, but also accelerates the process of tooth decay. Also, the gooey texture makes the food stick on the surface, allowing the plaque-causing bacteria to thrive. This eventually leads to cavities and periodontitis.
Energy and Protein Bars
While these have always been considered healthy choices, the reality is different! These snacks are very much similar to candies and hence contain high amounts of sugar. Needless to say, such quantities of sugar exposes the kid to serious oral health conditions like gum disease and plaque-formation.
Crackers
Crackers like potato chips, goldfish or graham crackers, energy bars have a sticky texture which stays on the teeth for a long time. Besides, these types of snacks have carbohydrates that turn into sugar when broken down. This apparently contributes to cavities and rotting of teeth.
While, it’s always difficult to keep kids away from the above mentioned snacks you can replace them with more healthy options like:
- Veggies like carrots or celery with dips
- Peanut butter or vegemite with cut veggies
- Rice cakes
- Nuts
- Pieces of salmon or turkey
Apart from including healthy food items in your kid’s diet, it’s equally important to visit a professional and experienced pediatric dentist at regular intervals.
