How sugar damages children's teeth and prevention tips

When understanding the importance of oral hygiene in keeping teeth and gums healthy it’s crucial to realise the role that sugar can play.

Many people don’t realise how much hidden sugar in food can damage their teeth.

The following information discusses how sugar damages teeth, foods that contain hidden sugar, and tips for good oral care.

How sugar can damage teeth

Whenever we eat sugary foods the bacteria already in our mouths converts the sugars into energy.

Turning sugar into energy takes approximately 20 minutes and produces acid in the process.

These acids will start to erode the enamel of our teeth if we don’t rinse our mouth or brush within a relatively short time after eating.

5 foods that contain hidden sugar

Many foods are obviously bad for a child’s teeth, but there are some foods that are normally considered healthy that are high in sugar.

The following are 5 foods that contain more sugar than people may realise:

Bananas – Bananas are healthy in many ways including high potassium content but also contain about 14 grams of sugar.
Yoghurt – Yoghurt is full of healthy ingredients but it can also have high amounts of sugar. Make sure to choose yoghurt that’s specifically low in sugar content.
Pasta sauce – Store bought pasta sauce is relatively high in sugar. This is true even for the marinara sauce, which is often considered healthier than cream sauce.
Tomato sauce – Kids love tomato sauce on a lot of different foods, but this condiment packs a lot of extra sugar in each serving.
Salad dressing – Adding dressing may seem like a good way to get children to eat salads. Many dressings are full of sugar, however.

Tips for good oral care

Besides eating healthy foods, regular oral care is crucial to keeping teeth healthy and strong.

Children should be taught good oral hygiene at an early age in order to develop proper habits for life.

A child should learn to brush and floss as soon as possible after each meal, sometimes, however, this isn’t always possible.

Eating hard, healthy foods such as celery can help naturally clean the teeth when brushing right away isn’t an option. Even swishing water around in the mouth to remove excess food particles can help.

How much sugar is in food can be surprising to many people. Teaching how to brush your teeth for kids is something every parent should take an active role in.

Teaching your children proper nutrition and easy ways to maintain good oral hygiene can go a long way in keeping their teeth healthy.

Do your kids follow a good dental hygiene routine? Please share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

33 Comments

- - mom93821 said
  - 31 Jan 2016
    1:33 pm
Oral hygiene is important and the beginning of the year is a good time for a reminder.

- - Mary-Kate_9186 said
  - 11 Nov 2015
    2:11 pm
I didnt realize about the banana’s! will definitely be upping my game with the kids after eating them!

- - mom94378 said
  - 08 Nov 2015
    9:53 pm
Have to build in good habits such as brushing the teeth as early as possible, make it fun and a non negotiatable.

- - mom81879 said
  - 03 Nov 2015
    3:45 pm
Sugar is such a damaging insidious ingredient in our food today. We all need to learn to read labels before buying products and try to stick to fresh food and home cooking to optimise our health. Way too much hidden sugar in food products nowadays

- - 4littlemunchkins said
  - 26 Oct 2015
    9:56 pm
Trying to limit sugar seems impossible sometimes in todays age and also wrestling with a toddler about brushing their teeth. None of my kids have had a cavity yet though so I must be doing something right though.

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 24 Oct 2015
    11:43 am
Wow I love the tip about celery – yes it isn’t always possible to brush straight away

- - mom113055 said
  - 21 Oct 2015
    4:33 pm
When understanding the importance of oral hygiene in keeping teeth and gums healthy it’s crucial to realise the role that sugar can play.

Many people don’t realise how much hidden sugar in food can damage their teeth.

The following information discusses how sugar damages teeth, foods that contain hidden sugar, and tips for good oral care.

How sugar can damage teeth

Whenever we eat sugary foods the bacteria already in our mouths converts the sugars into energy.

Turning sugar into energy takes approximately 20 minutes and produces acid in the process.

These acids will start to erode the enamel of our teeth if we don’t rinse our mouth or brush within a relatively short time after eating.
5 foods that contain hidden sugar

Many foods are obviously bad for a child’s teeth, but there are some foods that are normally considered healthy that are high in sugar.

The following are 5 foods that contain more sugar than people may realise:

Bananas – Bananas are healthy in many ways including high potassium content but also contain about 14 grams of sugar.

Yoghurt – Yoghurt is full of healthy ingredients but it can also have high amounts of sugar. Make sure to choose yoghurt that’s specifically low in sugar content.

Pasta sauce – Store bought pasta sauce is relatively high in sugar. This is true even for the marinara sauce, which is often considered healthier than cream sauce.

Tomato sauce – Kids love tomato sauce on a lot of different foods, but this condiment packs a lot of extra sugar in each serving.

Salad dressing – Adding dressing may seem like a good way to get children to eat salads. Many dressings are full of sugar, however.

- - silvialee said
  - 16 Oct 2015
    3:19 am
at what age do you really start children on brushing their teeth? i have a 15 month old that we help her brush her teeth with at night. just worrying about how much toothpaste she is having as she dont really know how to spit out or rinse her mouth yet.

- - Pags said
  - 15 Oct 2015
    4:00 pm
It’s amazing how much sugar is in the food be buy these days. Even foods marketed healthy have a lot of sugar. I try and make everything to try and limited my families sugar intake and when I have to buy packet food for my child I try and look for foods that have less then 4grams of added sugar for the whole serve.

- - mom94125 said
  - 14 Oct 2015
    9:26 pm
yeah and everything seems to be packed with sugar these days

- - mom113055 said
  - 11 Oct 2015
    3:45 pm
preventio tips teeth children

- - coastalkaryn said
  - 04 Oct 2015
    11:40 am
for me – anything in a tin packet or premade is filled with bad fats and sugar products – and to be avoided.

- - Carolineb said
  - 30 Sep 2015
    8:50 pm
There are so many foods that contain hidden/added sugar, it is scary that foods you wouldn’t consider having much sugar does.
I am already trying to teach my baby good dental health, he is 11 months and I already give him a baby toothbrush to chew/suck on.
Hopefully this will get him used to it come time he has teeth for brushing.
- mom94125 replied
  
  17 Oct 2015 , 3:50 pm
  yes at this stage thought he can get his teeth cleaned with a cloth.
- - mom109229 said
  - 30 Sep 2015
    3:59 pm
I worry about this as I have real trouble getting my toddler to brush her teeth!

- - yummy_mummy88 said
  - 29 Sep 2015
    9:49 pm
Excellent and helpful suggestions. Thanks for sharing

- - mom113055 said
  - 28 Sep 2015
    4:37 pm
sugar is bad for children

- - mom66977 said
  - 27 Sep 2015
    8:51 pm
100% i dont like sugar !

- - dbhall82 said
  - 22 Sep 2015
    11:29 am
Great article, I am wondering though my daughter loves bananas and usually wants one a day so should I be brushing her teeth after eating it?

- - mom113055 said
  - 21 Sep 2015
    1:07 pm
prevention

- - littlemissbliss said
  - 17 Sep 2015
    10:54 pm
informative article. Many thanks