Before you pack them that “healthy” snack, ask yourself what’s in the food that you’ve chosen for them to eat. Snack smart and be choosy for your kid’s by avoiding these treats:

Foods that May Cause Tooth and Enamel Damage

Trail Mix
Trail mix is a fantastic substitute for an unhealthy snack, but be careful when making your selection of snack mix, especially if your child has an orthodontic appliance. Unhealthy ingredients that can raise the amount of sugar and fat content should be avoided. Add-ins such as chocolate, dried fruit, and candy quickly transform this otherwise healthy snack into an unhealthy one.

Dried Fruit
Most parents think of fruit as a healthy snack, but dried fruit is kind of the exception to the rule. Dried fruit contains much higher levels of sugar than their natural counterparts and little to none of the water.  What helps to make fruit a healthy choice is less present in the dried variety, with the negative elements (sugar) being elevated. On top of an increase in sugar, dried fruit also tends to stick to teeth and braces, making it no better than a piece of gooey candy. (Can break brackets!) When considering fruit as a sugar swap, fresh is best.

Flavoured Water
Not many people want to drink the recommended daily intake of water so drinking a glass of water becomes a little more exciting for your taste buds when you add in a bit of something extra to give it some flavour, and there’s no harm in that…right? Wrong! Depending on your add-in of choice, you might be damaging your enamel more than you think.

Lemon and Lime Wedges
Citric acid within lemons and limes can have a significant damaging effect on your teeth. Citric acid wears away the enamel and allows other acids and sugars access to the tooth underneath, which leads to cavities over time.

Water Drops
These tiny squeeze bottles contain concentrated flavour that can be added to water a few droplets at a time, adding both sweetness and a bright, new colour. If you use water enhancers, follow the guidelines for serving sizes and how many times a day they’re recommended to use. These water drops are often sweetened with sugar and other artificial ingredients that can be damaging to your enamel.

A mouth-healthy diet is an essential piece of maintaining optimal oral health. If you’re concerned about how your child’s diet may be affecting their teeth and their journey with braces, schedule an appointment with Ocean Orthodontics today.

Here are 4 reasons to get braces during summer break:

1. Ice Cream!
   Are you feeling a little sore after getting your braces on? Ice cream is a delicious treat that will soothe your mouth and keep you cool at the same time. Don’t forget about other fun (and healthier!) options like smoothies and frozen yogurt. Mmmm!

2. Time to Adjust
   Getting used to braces can take a little time, so acclimating during summer break allows you to learn to eat and talk with your new braces.

3. Miss Less School
   Those first appointments can be longer compared to the follow-up visits. If you schedule these initial visits during your summer break, you will miss less school and other extracurricular activities.

4. Oral Care
   Braces require you to change how you brush and floss. When you are focused on schoolwork, you may not have as much energy or motivation to start a new routine. Use your summer break to get off to a great start!

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please feel free to contact us.