With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, sweet foods will be consumed in excess. Valentine’s Day delicacies range from chocolate-covered peanut butter hearts to glittering iced pink snack cakes. At school, church, and family events, your children will receive more candy, chocolate, cookies, and other love-themed treats than you can control from both other youngsters and well-meaning adults.
Sugary snacks are delicious, and children like the excitement of giving and getting them. As a parent, you obviously want your children to take part in and enjoy the holiday with their friends and classmates. However, you should be aware that too much sugar is harmful to your child’s teeth. As a pediatric dentist, we’d like to provide you with some tasty suggestions for limiting your children’s sugar intake this Valentine’s Day.
Be watchful of the treats that are being brought in.
If possible, ask your child to inform you of what they get or eat. It’s tough to accomplish this without coming across as overbearing, but it’s important to let your child know that you want him to be healthy while also taking care of his teeth.
Frosted sugar cookies, glazed snack cakes, chocolates, gummy candy, hard candy, and chewy, or sticky, candy are some of the more frequent sugary delicacies given to children on Valentine’s Day.
Understand how to care for your teeth after consuming sugar.
While you as a parent are well aware that cleaning your child’s teeth is critical for his dental health, you may not be aware that brushing right after consuming sweets is really counterproductive.
Brushing your teeth immediately after eating sugary meals might damage your teeth by removing protective enamel. Instead, after consuming sweet foods, have your toddler rinse his mouth with water. After that, wait about an hour before brushing your child’s teeth.
Make healthier Valentine’s Day snacks.
Of course, candy is thrilling and entertaining, but there are plenty of other interesting ways to make Valentine’s Day presents for your child to make up for the absence of sweets. For a child’s Valentine’s Day celebration or day at home, here are some fun and cute ideas to consider:
- Cheese cubes in the shape of hearts and veggie bits
- Sandwiches made with a cookie cutter in the shape of a heart.
- Valentine’s Day fruits in a package or dish.
- Fruit dipped in dark chocolate with a reduced sugar content.
- Fried eggs in a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
- Applesauce-topped whole wheat heart pancakes.
- Frozen juice cubes in the shape of a heart in flavored seltzer.
You can also pack healthful and nutritious Valentine’s Day themed items for your child’s school lunch. Pink and red bags, as well as heart-themed wrappers, can be used to make healthful foods more entertaining. Most retail and craft stores have fun, food-safe packaging.
It’s crucial to remember that your youngster can consume a small amount of sugar. Allow your children to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their friends and family by sharing a few appropriate sweet treats. However, keep an eye on how much sugar they consume and teach them how to brush their teeth properly after eating sugar.
Give us a call to schedule an appointment if you are concerned about your child’s teeth as a result of excessive sugar consumption. We are here to assist you and your child in receiving the highest quality pediatric dental care possible.