We have several tips on winning against junk food.
Junk food can have negative consequences for your general health. Most junk food begins its assault as soon as it enters the mouth. Kids are particularly susceptible due to the nature of the enjoyment associated with eating junk food and their lack of full understanding of proper diet.
How do you balance it out and make sure your child makes healthy choices?
Dr. Elizabeth says, “Emphasize healthy choices instead of just making your kids hide what they eat from you. Don’t make the mistake of banning junk food entirely. That just adds to their charm! The thrill of the forbidden.”
Dr. Renee agrees. “We’ve seen many kids who are “not allowed” candy, per the parents when the child shows up with lots of tooth decay. Sometimes these children are hiding their habit from their parents or overdoing it whenever they get the opportunity.”
So what can you do?
- Give your kids options in sweets. Teach them to choose well, and reward good choices. For example: chocolate is better than hard candy. Real food, like fruit or homemade pastries, are better than chocolate!
- Train them early to eat their sweets, not drink them. The damage caused by sugary drinks is much stronger because liquids go everywhere in the mouth while doesn’t penetrate all the nooks and crannies. Avoiding juice boxes, flavored milk, and soda pop as much as possible.
- Teach your kids to drink water during and after eating sweets. This washes away much of the food residue and neutralizes a good portion of the sugar and acids left in the mouth.
Keep your cool
Sweets should neither be a “special” or “forbidden” treat. In making them seem ordinary it is less likely that kids will obsess over them.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
