There is no doubt that food is strongly related to your overall health but did you know it´s also an integral part of keeping a healthy mouth?
This is even more important in the case of your children´s teeth (and overall) health. So you´ve got to be aware of what they´re eating, both in and away from home.
When it comes down to your kid´s lunchbox, packing it with a healthy, tooth-friendly menu each day becomes critical.
You can make sure your children grow strong and develop as healthy individuals by carefully watching what they eat.
Packing a tooth-friendly lunch is necessary. This is the easiest way for you to help preserve your kid´s gums and teeth, even at school.
In this article, we bring you some tips and recommendations on packing a tooth-friendly lunch. Let´s begin!
5 Key Elements to a Tooth Friendly Lunch
Introducing healthy, tooth-friendly foods into your kid´s diet doesn´t have to be an overly-complicated task. There might even be many healthy foods they naturally love.
So the best way to get your kids to choose the best foods for their oral health consciously is by simply trying them.
Once you´ve determined what healthy foods they prefer, you´ll see how packing a tooth-friendly lunch becomes a fast, easy, and fun task.
Calcium
Calcium strengthens your children´s teeth and jawbones, so increasing their calcium intake becomes prevalent. Calcium is also integral to helping build up your teeth´s enamel.
One of the best ways to introduce more calcium into your children’s diet could be sneaking cheesy snacks into their lunchboxes.
Most kids love cheese in any presentation, and, as there are so many types of cheese, you´ll never run out of options.
Vitamin C
Yes, we´re talking about tooth-friendly lunches. But healthy teeth need healthy gums, and healthy gums need vitamin C.
It not only improves the immune system (and overall health). Vitamin C is also integral in strengthening connective tissue, thus preserving gums.
Oranges, strawberries, or some red bell pepper sticks make for some tasty, vitamin C-loaded additions to your kid´s lunchbox.
Bacteria-Fighting Foods
Saliva is integral in washing away food debris, and the more you chew, the more saliva your mouth produces. Saliva also helps in eliminating bad-breath-causing bacteria.
Consider packing some celery/carrot sticks (or chopped in bite-sized chunks). These crunchy snacks lead kids to chew more, thus producing more saliva.
Protein
Other than helping in muscle buildup, protein also helps strengthen tooth enamel. Whole-wheat bread sandwiches with meat, chicken, or turkey are another great addition to your kid´s lunchbox.
Hydration
Concerning your children’s hydration, try to avoid juice boxes or any other type of sugary drinks, as these are definitely not good for their teeth.
Give them a water or milk bottle instead. Aside from keeping your children hydrated, water helps get rid of food debris, thus keeping their teeth clean.
Also, milk has the added benefit of being another essential source of calcium for their teeth and bones.
This is only a brief guide on some of the elements you can consider when deciding how to pack a tooth-friendly lunch for your children.
Some final recommendations would be to plan your kid´s tooth-friendly meals and involve them in the preparation.
By doing so, you avoid rushing every morning before they leave the house. Also, your children get to know the importance of making healthy food choices.
Still unsure about how to pack a tooth-friendly lunch? Feel like your children might need a dental checkup? Feel free to contact us to book a pediatric dental appointment.