Tooth Friendly Lunch Boxes

So, I thought I would write a little something to help make the chore less boring!

The best choices for a healthy mouth are foods that include: (link to hyg trmnt)

Calcium

 Foods rich in calcium (milk, yogurt, and cheese) make your teeth and jaw bone strong while protecting your mouth against tooth decay.

Bacteria Fighters

 Foods like celery, apples, pears and carrots cause you to chew more, which generates more saliva and kills the bad bacteria in your mouth.

Vitamin C

 Foods high in Vitamin C, such as red peppers and oranges, keep your gums healthy by strengthening blood vessels and connective tissue.

Protein

 For the main course, try soups or whole-wheat sandwiches made with protein-rich foods such as, chicken, turkey and ham to help teeth build enamel.

Vitamin D

 Pack foods like hard boiled eggs and tuna fish. They’re not only protein-rich, these super foods help aid in the absorption of calcium and protein, two key ingredients needed to make strong teeth.

Drinks

 And I’m afraid the only real safe drinks are water and milk. Kids like to sip on their drinks slowly and so a sweet drink will sit other teeth for longer and this gives sugar and acid ample time to attack their teeth. Watch out for the “sparkly water with a twist” as these have been shown to be just as damaging as Fanta!

Yoghurts

Check the ingredients of Actimel, Yop, Yakult as these are high in sugar!

You could add fruit puree to natural yoghurt and make your own tooth safe yoghurt ( yes, I know, if you have time!) In 100g of product if the sugar content is 10/100 then that is high.

Be careful of dried fruit – raisins are 70% sugar!

Cereal bars

 such as Rice Krispies or Frosties can contain up to 30% sugar and the seemingly healthier options such as Nutri-Grain, Tracker or Nature Valley can have 50% sugar due to the high content of honey and dried fruits.

Jellies

Even the organic ones are not a good option. As a general rule anything that sticks to your teeth should be avoided, such as white bread! And, if you do give your little ones a treat, make sure they can brush their teeth after.