Dr. Mary Hayes, pediatric dentist and ADA spokesperson, shares with all parents and their children…

“Sugar is fun to eat, but not good for your teeth!” 

We echo these sentiments at CODE clinic and we also are driven to help create total health for your entire family based on the decisions you make regarding your oral health.

Sugar is downright dangerous, addictive, and should be consumed minimally from natural sources. Any foods/products that add sugar to enhance the taste are creating irrevocable damages in many cases.

When kids consume too much sugar, it can alter the balance between good and bad bacteria and weaken their immune systems.

Here are five things you can do immediately that are guaranteed to reduce the amount of consumed sugar in your home…

Look Before You Eat

When choosing a snack, keep an eye on added sugar (sweeteners like corn syrup or white sugar that are added to prepared foods). Naturally occurring sugars are less worrisome, as they are found in healthy choices like milk and fruit.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people age 3 and older should consume no more than 12.5 tsp. each day of added sugar. (The same as one can of soda.) The World Health Organization states that adults should consume no more than 6 tsp. of added sugar, and children should have no more than 3 tsp.

When reading labels, you’ll see sugar is listed in grams. Since 1 tsp. of sugar equals 4 grams, aim to make sure the foods you are feeding your child fall between 12 to 50 grams a day.

Juice Is NOT A Healthy Beverage Anymore

Packed juice should NOT be in your home at all OR should only be consumed in very small amounts.

In fact, if your child is under 1 year old, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests completely removing juice from his or her diet.

Our recommendation for all parents is to simply NOT purchase juice and, instead, pack water for children.Well if you don’t, you will eventually incur medical/dental expenses and pain that could have been avoided.

Soda Should Never Be In Your Home

Sugary, carbonated beverages are bad news for your child’s teeth. Many experts say that one can of soda is the amount of sugar recommended for three days for a child.Soda contains acid that erodes tooth surfaces over time leading to cavities and very sensitive teeth.

 

Crunchy Carbs Should Become A No-No

Crunching on crackers,crisps and gonja crisps leads to these foods sticking in the tops of teeth  for long periods of time. Crunching is actually a good thing, but try to stick to fruits and vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, apples,mangoes and  guavas for your kids.These will naturally clean up the teeth because of the fiber in them.

Be The Model For Your Kids!

We always encourage parents to live by example and if you are no longer letting your child drink soda and/or juice and instead to learn to love water then you should be doing this as well. Your kids will follow your lead – especially when they are in their formative years – and if you are willing to commit to overall health and oral health, it will pay enormous dividends for your entire family.