Snacking

Healthy snacking for good oral health

A well balanced and nutritious diet is important at any age for good oral and general health. Choose a variety of different foods from Canada’s Food Guide. Eating a nutritious breakfast is a great way to start to your day. Snacks that are nutritious, sugar-free, and do not stick to your teeth make the best dental snacks. Sugar is one of the main causes of cavities and other dental problems.

There is growing evidence linking poor oral health and gum disease to other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and obesity.

Re-think your drink

To help prevent cavities, limit sugary drinks and choose water. Milk and water are healthier choices than juice is. Sugary drinks like pop, juice, sports or fruit drinks can cause tooth decay.

Sippy cups can lead to tooth decay

Sippy cups stop spills, but some children use them for many months and even years. Training cups are to help your child use a regular drinking cup. Sippy cups are like sucking on a baby bottle. When they are drinking, sugar covers their front teeth. Drinking juice, milk, or anything sweetened from a sippy cup can cause tooth decay. If you give your child a sippy cup between meals, it should contain water only.