It is important that your child receives a naturally balanced diet that includes the important nutrients your child needs in order to grow. A daily diet should include the major food groups: Meat, Fish and Eggs; Vegetables and Fruits; Breads and Cereals; and Milk and Other Dairy Products.

Absolutely. It is important that you initiate a balanced diet for your child so that their teeth and gums develop appropriately. Please note that a diet high in sugar and other forms of carbohydrates may increase the probability of tooth decay.

It’s important not to nurse your children to sleep or put them to bed with a bottle of milk, juice or formula. When a child is sleeping, any liquid that remains in the mouth can support the bacteria that produce harmful acid. A simple pacifier or bottle of water is fine.

As we stated earlier, it is important to initiate a balanced diet. Analyze the frequency in which starch based foods are eaten. Remember that sugar is found in foods other than candy. These types of foods include breads, pasta, potato chips, etc. All types of sugars can promote tooth decay. For example, most milk-based products contain sugar. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a favorite for bag lunches. Unfortunately, it includes sugar that is not only in the jelly, but also in the peanut butter. For less sugar and more flavor and nutrients, try replacing jelly with fresh fruit slices (apples, pears, or bananas) or chopped dried fruit. Go easy on the peanut butter—it’s high in fat. Choose the “no-salt-added” type for less sodium.

Of course not. Many of these foods are incredibly important to your child’s health. However it’s best to incorporate such foods during mealtimes because decay is related to frequency of snacking. Foods that stick to the teeth are also more difficult to remove with water, saliva or toothbrushing. It is important to talk to our staff about your child’s diet and maintaining proper dental care.