SCHOOL LUNCH TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER SMILE

SCHOOL LUNCH TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER SMILE

From the cafeteria to bagged lunches to vending machines, your child has a plethora of options for mid-day meals, and they’re not all good for them. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, children aren’t getting the nutrition they need at school to maintain their oral health. Rather than promoting a healthy smile, school lunches may be contributing to dental caries, or cavities, the most common childhood disease.

A Cavity-Packed Lunch

Cavities are caused when the sugar we eat combines with the bacteria found in our mouths to form an acid that attacks teeth. Eventually, these acid attacks can lead to tooth decay or cavities. Frequently eating a sugar-filled lunch, especially when we’re not able to brush after meals, can wreak havoc on our teeth. Consuming vending machine sweets, packing candy in bagged lunches, and buying sugary desserts from the cafeteria all contribute to the possibility of cavities.

You can’t watch your children while they’re away at school, but you can set them up to make good decisions regarding their oral health. Whether your children are eating a school or bagged lunch, you can help them make healthy choices for a lifetime of dental health.

Types of Lunches:

School Lunches

Many cafeterias and vending machines offer a variety of options, and your child’s choice of food can make or break their oral health. Unfortunately, the sugary snacks and sodas found in many school vending machines can lead to cavities and kids can often purchase desserts in the cafeteria that aren’t good for their dental health, or for their overall health for that matter. In recent years, there’s been an ongoing debate over school vending machines, but you can start your campaign towards excellent dental care by investigating your school’s choices in food supplies.

Understandably, children may be tempted by the sweet treats offered in their school’s cafeteria or vending machines, but you have the power to steer them in the right direction. Discuss the importance of oral health with your child, and talk about appropriate food choices for lunch. When your children come home from school, review what they ate that day. Routinely discussing the importance of a good diet can help your children make correct choices in the future.

Bagged Lunches

Preparing your child’s lunch is a great way to avoid cavity-causing foods. If you do, here are several ways to promote a tooth-healthy meal:

– Pack the right amount of food to meet their nutritional needs. That means including fruit, vegetables, grains and calcium-fortified dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and milk daily.

– Don’t include sticky foods that can’t easily be washed away, especially if your children aren’t able to brush their teeth after lunch.

– Encourage your children to drink beverages that are low in sugar. Drinking water and other low-sugar liquids can help wash away food particles that might get stuck between teeth.

– You may want to include a travel toothbrush with your child’s lunch. Speak with our dentists about how often your children should be brushing their teeth, and whether lunchtime brushing is appropriate for them.

When you review your child’s day at school, be sure to include what they ate. Ensuring that your child is making the right choices will not only improve his or her dental health but will also help control another childhood epidemic.

 We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment.