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Sugar - Teeth Health and Eating Habits |
Childhood in a number of ways is a time that is full of sweet memories. Children will be children and will love to have all sorts of sweet treats. Chocolates, candy cane, licorice, hard candy, soft candy, ice cream are just examples of the sweet treats that children love.
As parents, we are concerned about the number of sweets that our children eat and the effect that it will have on their teeth. Probably our priorities are misplaced. What we should be more concerned about is whether our children are brushing their teeth twice a day and taking good care of their teeth.
Of course, we should encourage our children to eat nutritious foods such as green vegetables and fruit, but try as hard as we may, we never can stop kids from eating sweets altogether. We should instead stress on teaching our children to brush their teeth twice a day, especially before going to bed.
When we go to sleep without brushing our teeth, all sorts of microorganisms attack our teeth and cause tooth decay. Teaching our children to brush their teeth before bedtime will not only help to prevent tooth decay but teach them a good habit that will last a lifetime. We can encourage our children to brush their teeth by buying flavored toothpaste.
The American Dental Association is very actively involved in promoting oral health care, especially amongst children. The website has a number of games and activities that encourage good dental care amongst kids.
Xylitol is a sugar alternative that is derived from foods such as oats, corn, berries and mushrooms. It has calories just like sugar but also has nutritive benefits that sugar does not have. The greatest advantage of Xylitol is that it does not cause tooth decay. It can be used as a natural sugar alternative in our cooking and does not have any side effects like other sugar alternatives. |