June 26, 2018
School is out for the summer!
Your kids are home … and they will eat and eat and eat some more until school starts back in the fall. What they eat can make a big difference in their overall health and their oral health, in particular.
Now, your kids would probably love to chase down the ice cream truck a couple times every day if they could. As a parent, you probably don’t want this to happen, however. You know that too much sugar can lead to cavities.
To help you get ready for the summer feeding frenzy at your house, we’re offering a few simple suggestions to you and your family from our team at Premier Dental. Keeping a healthy pantry during summer can reduce the risk of your kids overloading on sugar, too.
Summer is also a great time to schedule a dental cleaning at our Bordentown, NJ dentist office. Call 609-298-1124 to plan your visit before school starts again this fall!
Fresh fruits and vegetables contain healthy nutrients that are good for everyone. That’s why the USDA recommends eating two cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables daily.
At the same time, your kids’ snack choices are greatly affected by what their options are. You can help them make healthy decisions by committing to buy fresh fruits and vegetables during your trips to the grocery store.
Bring your kids with you. Let them pick out fruits and vegetables that they enjoy, and they are therefore more likely to eat.
When you get home, make sure your kids know where to find the fruits and veggies you bought, so they know where to grab some when they are hungry if they are old enough to get snacks for themselves.
We won’t say kids can never have a sweet treat, but some sweets are more harmful than others.
It won’t surprise you to know that sticky foods like caramels and gummies can get stuck and are harder to remove from teeth. The longer they hang around, the more likely they are to become food for harmful, cavity-causing bacteria.
While you don’t want to overdo it, chocolates are a better option. It’s also a good idea to make sure your kids drink a cup of water whenever they eat something sweet. The water can help rinse away small particles that get left behind and reduce the risk that they can lead to tooth decay.
Pretzels also can be a satisfying treat for many kids, and they are much, much lower in sugar.
Speaking of water, encourage your kids to drink H2O all summer long. We know they may want a sports drink, but many sports drinks are loaded with sugar.
If you compare labels, you will see that some of these sports drinks contain as much sugar as a candy bar. Most of the time, water is the better choice. It will help your kids avoid dehydration, and it will replenish the water they lose from playing hard.
Another way to encourage your kids to drink more water (instead of soft drinks) is to experiment with fruit-infused water. Find a clear container with a lid. Add some orange slices, strawberries, blueberries, or a combination of them.
Leave this in your fridge overnight to chill, and the water will absorb the fruit flavor. This can add some flavor to plain water without the added sugar found in many soft drinks and fruit juices.
We hope you and your loved ones enjoy a fun, safe, and cavity-free summer. We would love to hear about your summer adventures when you stop by our Bordentown, NJ office for a cleaning and exam.
To schedule your next appointment with us, call Premier Dental today at 609-298-1124 or fill out our convenient online form.
Find personalized and comfortable dental care at our Bordentown, NJ office. We can't wait to see you!
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