What’s Damaging Your Childs Teeth?
Posted on 13th February 2017 at 10:48
Did you know that sultana’s can be damaging for your child’s teeth?
Many dentists are now warning parents of the danger raisins pose to children’s teeth and suggests our little ones are given cheese or bread sticks as an alternative.
Now we know kids can be fussy about what they eat, so finding healthy snacks for them can be a headache for Mums and Dads.
Most parents know that junk food is regarded as “unhealthy” but even some healthy snacks can be bad your children’s teeth.
We asked Dr Richard Prais Principal Dental Surgeon at Prais Dental Care what the most serious culprit of tooth decay was.
“Raisins and dried fruit are a big problem because the concentrated sugar content in dried fruit is extremely detrimental to a child's teeth. A small packet of raisins has around 8 teaspoons of sugar in it!”
The NHS recommendation daily sugar allowance for 4 - 6 year-olds is a maximum of five sugar cubes and for 7 - 10 year-olds it’s no more than six.
Richard says “Raisins are sticky and get stuck in the teeth. Therefore, the bacteria has a prolonged source of sugar, so it can cause decay for a longer period of time.”
So, is it better for our children’s teeth to skip dried fruit altogether?
“All is not lost as they do have nutritional value as raisins are apparently packed with vitamin C. However, it's better to give your child raisins as a dessert as part of a meal rather than a snack. Sugar as part of a meal is not detrimental to the teeth. So, save the treats for dessert and part of a meal."
"Frequent snacking of sweet foods and drinks between meals causes the mouth to remain in an acidic state which is ideal for decay to develop."
What are the best alternatives for a snack that’s kinder to teeth?
"The best snacks for children are carrots, cucumbers and fresh fruit are much healthier options. We need to encourage our children to make healthy dietary choices. Their drink of choice should be water or milk. Another great alternative is Cheese! Yes - Cheese! Cheese neutralises the acid in the mouth and prevents tooth decay. So, if your child has binged in sweet food you can reverse the damage with cheese. Smile please and say "Cheese!"
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