In this day and age of fast and processed foods it can be a
challenge to ensure a healthy diet for your family.
Everyone wants to provide good food for their families, but
how to do that when the stores are full of processed foods
and fast food chains are everywhere boggles the mind.
However, for the parent willing to look, there are good
whole food and health food stores also. Look for foods that
are high in fiber and nutrients and low in chemical
additives and sugars.
Some suggestions for finding excellent health foods and
snacks online:
http://www.myforevergreen.org/stevenbrazis/home.html
Essential Nutritious Food
Children are in their growing stages and therefore require
foods from each food group to maintain proper health.
Include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in every meal.
Normally, a child's diet has a higher concentration of
carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain starches and sugars,
some harmful and some essential. Try to emphasize the
complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits as
opposed to the starchy carbohydrates found in pasta and
breads.
All types of foods and snacks are able to cause dental
cavities. Cookies, candies, pastries, and cakes are the
obvious troublemakers. Yet, fruits, milk, peanut butter,
pretzels, chips, and juices are equally detrimental.
Regulating eating habits along with regular brushing habits
will help tremendously.
Water
Water is a subject that is so often overlooked in
discussions of nutrition that I want to give it special
attention here. If you give your child water to drink early
on in life instead of flavored drinks of any kind, they
will grow up to appreciate water and want to drink it
naturally. Most people do not get enough good water in
their bodies.
Water is a natural lubricant and cleanser. It is a
necessary catalyst for most of the essential metabolism of
the body as well as acting as a cleansing agent to flush
waste and toxic materials from the cells and body as a
whole.
Today, most water sources need extra filtering to make sure
it doesn't contain more harmful ingredients than good.
Bottled water is an alternative, though that can be
expensive. Good inexpensive water filters can be found with
a little research and well worth the effort.
Finally, just drinking water during and after eating will
wash out the mouth and help dilute any remaining food
substance left, reducing the risk of tooth decay enormously.
Tips to Maintain Good Dental Health in Children
* Avoid giving sticky food like raisins, honey, caramel,
syrups, and molasses to children. Otherwise, insist on your
children brushing their teeth immediately after eating such
foods.
* Give them raw vegetables and fruits for snacks.
Vegetables and fruits like cucumber, pear, celery, and
melon stimulate the secretion of saliva during eating. This
helps wash away sugars present in such fruits and
vegetables and prevent any buildup of food residue.
* Give cheddar cheese as an alternative snack or for lunch.
This triggers saliva formation and helps wash down food
particles.
* Give children water instead of juices or soda. Juices and
soda have high levels of sugar. Soda also has carbolic
acid, which is extremely destructive to teeth. Diluting
fruit juices with some water is also helpful.
* Use a fluoridated toothpaste if you choose for brushing.
Fluoride helps improve the hardness of enamel and prevents
tooth decay. Flossing removes food deposits between the
teeth where brushing cannot.
* It is best to brush teeth well twice a day and preferably
also after meals and snacks. Drink lots of water!
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Steven J Brazis DDS practices family and cosmetic dentistry
in Sacramento, CA. He graduated dental school in 1973 and
has extensive experience helping people and their families.
Get his book at
http://www.yourchildrensteeth.com
or visit his office site at
http://www.toothhaven.com
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