Health & Fitness
Packed Lunches for Kids Promote Healthy Teeth
Kids are sure missing a lot of school days this winter! Don't let dental related problems be the reason for missing more.
Don’t let dental related problems be the reason for your child’s absence from school! Eating unhealthy snacks and junk foods can lead to an extra trip to the dentist for cavity treatments. Next week when school is back in session, make sure your kids get healthy snacks for lunch.
School’s can potentially be risky environments for dental health, especially with the availability of vending machines that contain unhealthy snacks and sodas. In order to enhance your child’s health and smile, it is important to consider and implement nutritious foods for lunch. Poor nutrition can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. If you pack their lunches, make sure to include foods that contain nutrients essential to their oral health, such as carbohydrates, protein, calcium, and vitamins A and C.
Packing healthy foods for lunch will foster good nutritional habits within kids. The following tips for packing healthy lunches can help meet your child’s dental and nutritional needs:
Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Healthy Fruits and Vegetables:
Who doesn't enjoy finger foods? Cutting slices of cucumber or carrots into bite-size pieces are easy and healthy to snack on. Try avoiding sugary dressings, potatoes, and fries.
Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Fruits including oranges, pears, and pineapple can be sliced into sections for a sweet and filling snack. Also, the potassium in bananas, and fiber and vitamins in apples are essential for maintaining good oral health. Try avoiding grapes due to their high sugar content.
Protein:
Eating proteins will help keeps muscles healthy and strong. Peanut butter, lean turkey, and nuts all have a good source of protein and are easy to pack for school.
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates provide energy for your children to focus and learn throughout the school day. Whole wheat bread, whole grain tortillas, pita bread, or bagels are all tasty carbs that your child can enjoy. Cheese is a good source of calcium and can also protect teeth from decaying. Try adding low-fat string cheese to whole grain crackers.
Drinks:
What your kids drink is equally important as what they eat. Water, especially fluoridated water, helps strengthen tooth enamel and wash down leftover pieces of food. Unsweetened tea also contains fluoride. Milk is a healthy option because it provides vitamin D and calcium. Avoid sports drinks, which contain a large amount of sugar, processed milk, as well as most juices.
Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and the caring team at Wellesley Dental Group if you have any thoughts or concerns; they will be happy to answer your questions! Contact us today at 781-237-9071 or smile@wellesleydentalgroup.com to set up an appointment and consultation.
Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Kim. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other oral surgery needs Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.
References:
http://www.therabreath.com/articles/news/oral-care-industry-news/healthiest-packed-lunches-for-kids-32375.asp
http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ColgateNewandNow/Community/2013/April/article/SW-281474979078603.cvsp
http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/header/header_Lunchbox_d1ff_header.jpg
