Limit Added Sugars and Improve Your Kid's Diet

Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City & Glen Cove

Garden City:516-222-5100

Glen Cove: 516-759-7000

www.PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com

One of the best ways to prevent tooth decay is by eating the right kinds of foods.  As part of National Nutrition Month, we are stressing the importance of a healthy diet to all of the parents and children who visit our office!  The types of foods your child eats, how often they eat them and their nutritional value all play a role in preventing tooth decay.  Unfortunately, a lot of the foods that kids love to eat are high in added sugars.  We encourage parents to read labels and teach their children how to identify foods high in added sugars to reduce the amount of sugar that kids consume.

These are a few of the top sources of added sugar:

Source: SugarStacks.com

• Soft Drinks
• Energy Drinks
• Sports Drinks
• Cake and Pie
• Fruit Drinks
• Dairy Based Desserts (Ice Cream)
• Candy
• Ready-to-Eat Cereal

As a general rule of thumb, added sugars often end in an –ose.  Keep an eye out for foods high in maltose, fructose, sucrose, and glucose.  If any of these common added sugars are listed as one of the first few ingredients, there is a good chance that the food is high in sugar.

If you aren’t sure what foods your child should be eating for their smile health, call our office.  We are happy to answer any questions you have about your child’s teeth.  Call 516-222-5100 to contact our Garden City office or call 516-759-7000 to contact our Glen Cove office.  We look forward to helping you care for your kids smile!