Foods for Healthy Teeth/Protecting Teeth with Healthy Nutrition

Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attended the Arab Children Health Congress 2008 in Dubai, which was sponsored by the World Health Organization. Dr. Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization, delivered the opening address, an eloquent speech in which he asserted that, "As incomes rise and populations become more urban, diets once high in complex carbohydrates have given way to diets with a higher proportion of fats, saturated fats, salt and sugars." The same regional diet changes that lead to increases in the rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease also lead to a higher rate of tooth decay and infection. Today, more than ever, the mothers need to know what foods will support the oral health of their children.

Nutrition that promotes oral health begins with a healthy mother. Women who are expecting a child must have three to five servings of calcium-rich foods every day. While a serving of low fat milk (250 ml) may work well for many women, some women may not tolerate lactose, milk sugar, well. For someone who is lactose intolerant, drinking that cup of milk can result in abdominal pain and bloating. Many calcium-rich foods have little or no lactose, such as many hard cheeses (a serving 30 grams), yogurt (250 ml per serving), soy milk (250 ml), sesame seeds (250 ml), canned sardines or salmon with bones (about 110 grams) and almonds (250 ml) are all good examples.

Milk and infant formula are a large part of many babies' and toddlers' diets. Both are high in sugar - lactose for milk and other sugars for soy formula. Babies should drink from a bottle for only about 20 minutes, then stop. Allowing children to nurse a bottle for longer instills a bad nutrition habit that is hard to correct later.

Once the child develops teeth (the first tooth erupts between 6 and 12 months), bathing teeth in sugar laden formula or milk for long periods will cause tooth decay. Drinking from a bottle dramatically increases the likelihood of tooth decay, and the child might bite off a piece of the latex or silicone nipple. When the child is almost a year old, it is time to switch to a sippy cup.

Choose foods for toddlers that support good dental health and good nutrition. Fresh fruits may be sweet, but the concentration of fructose (fruit sugar) is low compared to prepared foods. Drying fruit (raisins, dates and apricots) concentrates the fructose into a sweet, sticky treat. Dried fruit and processed fruit snacks stick to teeth supporting decay causing bacteria. Dry fruit and fruit snacks are acceptable as an occasional treat; offer them to children with meals instead of as a between meal snack. As in this example, it is almost always advantageous to offer children fresh, natural foods rather than processed.

Firm fibrous fruit and vegetables such as celery, apples, carrots and pears clean teeth of plaque and other food as the child chews. Children who do not appreciate a salad, may enjoy celery sticks and carrots with a serving of humus for dipping. Try mixing cut up apples and pears into yogurt.

Support the development of strong, healthy teeth by offering children enough calcium-rich foods. Toddlers need the equivalent of two adult servings of calcium-rich foods every day. Children 4 to 8 years old should have about three adult size servings, and older children, four or five servings. Cheese has the additional, poorly understood benefit of decreasing the risk of tooth decay.

Vitamin C is important for the development and maintenance of healthy gums. Find Vitamin C in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Of course, citrus fruit like oranges and lemons have large amounts of C, but so do cantaloupe, strawberries, papaya, mango and kiwi fruit. In some cases, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage and sweet red peppers contain almost as much vitamin C as fruit. About 200 ml of orange juice or broccoli or a single kiwi fruit supplies the minimum amount of vitamin C for health. However, more is better. Many nutritionists would prefer for children to consume more than three times as much vitamin C.

Finally, some parents would like to know what kind of candy is good for children. While no sweets are actually healthy, chocolate is the least bad choice. Chocolate melts off of teeth quickly, so there is not a sweet residue stuck to teeth for a prolonged time. The tannins in chocolate are slightly bacteriocidal (kill bacteria). While it is alright to offer a child a chocolate as a treat, it is not wise to eat chocolate frequently throughout the day. Chocolate is highly caloric, full of fat and has no nutritional value.

Sources:
www.ADA.org
http://www.who.int/nmh/about/speeches/Arab_Children_Congress.pdf