August is the month when millions of children will head back to the classroom after a nice summer break. If they’ve been following a good summer dental routine, that’s great. But after a summer of hot dogs, swimming, and sugary drinks, it may be time to reevaluate their dental and oral health. Here are some quick tips that will help maintain this health as you send them back into the jungle of education:
Tip #1: Eat Healthy at Home
Proper dental hygiene and oral health starts and ends at home. Inside of packing your shelves full of chips and candy, fill your refrigerator with fruits and vegetables. We all know that children have a sweet tooth (many adults do, too!), and the best way to satisfy that sweet tooth is to grab a piece of fruit. Also be sure to provide plenty of whole grains, dairy products, and proteins for a balanced diet.
Tip #2: Send Them to School with Healthy Snacks
Even though kids are often inundated with unhealthy snacks at school, you can help combat this by sending them with healthy alternatives. Fruits will satisfy a sweet tooth and milk will strengthen their teeth and bones. If your child scoffs at drinking milk, send them with some string cheese instead. Also be sure that you discourage picking up sugary snacks with friends after school, especially from the ice cream truck that can commonly be found throughout the U.S. as soon as the bell rings.
Tip #3: Avoid Sugary Foods
It’s been known for decades that foods loaded with sugar aren’t good for you. In addition to multiple health problems, such as diabetes, that can develop after years of ingesting sugary foods, your teeth can become prone to cavities within mere days or weeks. Evidence can be found everywhere that there is a sugar epidemic sweeping the nation, much of which was chronicled in last year’s movie, That Sugar Film. Start off by doing small things like switching out your child’s normal applesauce with a type with no sugar added. Also cut out sticky candies like gummy bears, which are not only chock-full of sugar but can also stick in your child’s teeth.
Tip #4: Avoid Sugary Drinks
Whether you call it pop or soda, one thing we don’t have to tell you about those products is how extremely bad they are for you. Many Americans have a habit of drinking sugary drinks to such an extent that it borders on full-blown addiction. Products like Coke and Pepsi should be given as a special treat to your children, not as a way to satisfy their thirst. Think of soda as a desert. You wouldn’t want your kids to eat 16oz of chocolate cake three times a day, would you? Or, to put it into the simplest of terms, that 16oz bottle of soda is packed with the equivalent of approximately 14 sugar packets. Scary, huh?
Tip #5: Give Your Child a Refresher Course
Before you send your child back to school, it is imperative that you help them get back into practicing good dental habits, which can sometimes be difficult to stringently follow while they’re on vacation, especially if they’ve been away from home. Not only should you make sure that they’re flossing and brushing twice a day, but that they’re following the proper techniques. Getting them back on track should take less than a week or so, and the effects will last throughout the school year.
A quick trip to the dentist just before school starts or soon after can help alleviate many dental health problems. Be sure to contact Dr. Bruce McArthur for your kid’s check-up to help them maintain excellent dental and oral health. We’ll make sure that your child’s school year is a healthy one for their teeth!