How the Foods Your Children Eat Cause Tooth Decay

Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City

585 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530

516-222-5100 

www.PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com

The American Dental Association and Dr. Reynolds at Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City are worried about your children’s teeth! 

Do you know how the food they eat causes tooth decay? When you eat, the food passes through your mouth. Here is where it meets the germs, or bacteria that live in your mouth. 

You may have heard Dr. Reynolds talk about plaque. Plaque is a sticky, film of bacteria that gets stuck on and between your teeth. These bacteria love the sugar found in many foods. When you don’t clean your teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use the sugar to produce acids that can destroy the hard surface of the tooth, called enamel. After a while, tooth decay occurs! The more often you eat and the longer foods are in your mouth, the more damage occurs! 

Foods that you would typically think are healthy choices for your children actually contain sugars that damage their teeth. Foods like fruits, milk, bread, cereals and even certain vegetables are harmful to your children’s teeth. Fruits like watermelon, oranges, pears, pineapples, grapefruit, banana's and cherries are high in sugar and therefore damaging to your children's teeth.  Vegetables and grains high in starch like potatoes, white rice, sweet yellow corn, pastas and breads are also potentially damaging when consumed in frequent doses.Sugars and starches are potentially damaging to your children's teeth when they don't brush properly.

The key to choosing foods wisely is not to avoid these foods, after all kids need their fruits and veggies, but to think before you feed them to your children! When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. For good dental health, brush soon after eating. If you aren’t able to brush right after eating, rinse your mouth out with water. 

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Reynolds at Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City by calling 516-222-5100. For more information, visit PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com.