Dental hygiene month -the best and worst foods for your teeth

October is dental hygiene month. And that reminds us how important it is to take care of your family and especially children's teeth. Keeping your family's teeth healthy involves care of the mouth, monitoring growth of teeth, cavity prevention, to name a few. And most importantly is the effects of different foods and drinks on the teeth. You might be surprised to know that how what we eat and drink can positively or negatively affect our dental health and hygiene. Some information on this topic is covered on dentistry websites such as Topdentists.com. Here are a few main foods and drinks to keep your eye on.

Here are some foods that can help the teeth positively:

-Dairy products are very healthy for teeth, for the same reason that they are healthy for bones. The high calcium content can lead to strong growth, which can make teeth less vulnerable to decay or destruction.

-Tea is actually also said to be very healthy for teeth. When we brush our teeth, one of the main ingredients that is used is fluoride, which helps to clean our teeth and gums. Interestingly, most tea leaves have high fluoride content, which of course means that they can contribute to keeping our mouths healthy.

-Citrus fruits are very good for tooth health, for a couple of reasons. The first is that the high vitamin C content in citrus fruits promotes strong and healthy growth in bones and in teeth. Additionally, citrus fruits can be very effective in whitening teeth naturally. Specifically, people sometimes turn to lemons (and even lemon peels) for natural teeth whitening.

Here are some foods that can affect the teeth negatively""

-Certain berries, such as blueberries, can stain the teeth easily. This does not mean that the teeth will go blue, of course, but it does mean that they will require more brushing and care to keep them white.

-In general, foods and drinks with high sugar content can harm the teeth. Sugar eats away at tooth enamel and can cause cavities and decay over time. People with sugary diets generally have to brush more diligently and frequently than others in order to avoid cavities.

So teach your child to take care of their teeth by regularly brushing after meals and minimize foods that are high in sugar like soda and candy! Happy Dental Hygiene Month!

Other Resources: A sweet month for National Dental Hygiene Month- Tips for helping kids learn good oral health habits Healthy Halloween Party Recipe ideas

Candy Free Alternatives for Trick-or-Treaters! Over 70 ideas listed by category.

How to manage candy intake with children during Halloween Article with specific step by step guide to managing your child’s candy intake.

Kids’ Halloween Fun Page Halloween story and activities that promote healthy eating during Halloween.