Cut Out Those Bad Snacks and Drinks for Little Ones

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With all the responsibilities you have as a parent, where do you rank making sure your children’s teeth are clean and healthy?

For too many parents, that issue unfortunately takes a back page to many other responsibilities that come their way, including working, making sure their kids have a suitable roof over their heads and nice clothes to wear. All too often, it can be easy to forget that friendly reminder to your little one or ones that they need to care for their teeth on a daily basis.

One way to help alleviate that problem is by making sure your kids avoid sugary drinks and snacks on a regular basis.

While regular visits to a childrens dentist in San Diego or wherever you call home is very important, so too is making sure that your child does not find him or herself regularly drinking sugary sodas and eating foods like sugar-sweetened cereals and other such items.

Not only can too much sugar in different forms by detrimental to your child’s teeth, but it can also lead to problems such as obesity.

So, how can you as a parent increase the odds that your children’s teeth will serve them well past their childhood years?

Among the items to keep in mind:

* Regular dental visits – Right at the top of the importance list, make sure your child or children see their dentist twice a year (see more below). In the event that it is financially difficult for you to get your kid or kids to the dentist regularly, check with the dentist’s office to see if they offer payment plans, as many do. This way you can spread out payments for whatever dental work your child needs, making sure he or she gets the care they require;

* Watch what they eat – As a parent, it can be tough to watch what your kids eat 24/7. Whether they sneak in a snack while visiting the grandparents or getting their hands on something at a friend’s home they shouldn’t, you can’t monitor them all day. What you can do is control what is around your kitchen for them to eat and drink. Instead of going for sugary drinks, encourage them to drink as much water as possible. Instead of having tons of candy sitting around the house, opt for more fun and healthy fruits and vegetables. You should also check the contents of cereals and other items you buy for your kids, as many are high in sugar;

* Practice good dental hygiene – Finally, do you monitor how regularly your kids brush and floss their teeth? If the answer is no, time for you to get back to basics. It is easy, especially when parents are busy with all they have to do in a normal day, to forget to remind their son and/or daughter to brush their teeth, morning, noon, and night. If you have to for a time being, watch your kids in the bathroom brushing their teeth so that they get the message of how important it is.

While there are some things you can’t always control in the daily life of your children, practicing proper dental care can be one of them, including what goes in their mouths from your refrigerator and pantry.

Photo credit: motherjones.com