Did You Know These Foods Were Causing Cavities In Your Kids?

Kids are highly prone to developing cavities due to their diets that are high in sugar, starch, and carbohydrates mainly. In fact, 90% of the food items that kids eat like morning cereals, fruits, bread, biscuits, pancakes, etc can develop a cavity. So, what exactly is a cavity? Dental cavities are small hollows in the teeth that appear black, brown or greyish. These are easily visible and can cause pain in the teeth. However, the main reason for the cavities are not the amount of sugar or starch in a particular food, but how long it lends to remains on your kid's teeth. Some of the most dangerous foods are those that mash into the tops of the molars at the back of the mouth and don't quickly like gum candy, starchy chips, lollipops, juice, soda, etc. Surprisingly, chocolate is good for kid's teeth since it inhibits the cavity-causing bacteria.

Dental cavities are small hollows in the teeth that appear black, brown or greyish.
Photo Credit: iStock

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Top 9 Foods that can cause cavities in kids

1. Fruit juices:

Kids like fruits juices to drink day in day out but these juices contains high sugar that is added to that is added to make the juice tasty. But when kids drinks fruit juice, it stucks and stays on the surface of the teeth and over time, it gets converted into sugar acids. Like fruit juice, soft drinks and energy drinks too contains a high amount of sugar. However, these are worse than fruit juice as they contains lesser minerals in comparison. Juice in sippy cups are a reason for cavity as well because it releases the liquid slowly and there is more time for the juice to pour inside the mouth. Tac-tic for saving the teeth is mix water with the juice.

2. Popcorn:

Kids are font popcorns that whenever they see popcorn they demand for popcorns. Whenever, you go out for a movie or a supermarket your kids demands for it but pops are so notorious,  they stuck in the teeth and in the area between the teeth and will cultivate bacteria and cavity. Tac-tic for saving your kid's teeth after eating some popcorn is by rinsing the mouth after eating popcorn properly. 

3. Bread and peanut butter:

Usually, kids demands for bread and peanut butter and we as parents serve them with bread with peanut butter but some breads and peanut butters have a high amount of sugar in it with stuck in your kid's teeth and can develop a cavity later. Tac-tic for saving your kid's teeth after eating bread and peanut butter is by bringing brown bread and naturally processed peanut butter which has no sugar to your house.

4. Meat:

Everyone loves eating meat kids and adults both. Meat tends to struck between the teeth and some meat products contains sugar. Sugar in meat products may be in less quantity but it can promote a tooth decay and cavity. Tac-tic for saving your kid's teeth from meat is try cooking meat at home, chew sugarless gums after eating meats or brush your teeth after eating meat products.

5. Salad dressing:

Salad dressing creams are one of the primary things that you need while making a sandwich or pasta and kids loves dressing creams a lot but more than food items contains condiments like vinegar, sugar, etc. It stays in the mouth and develops a cavity in your kids' teeth.

6. Fruits:

Everybody says that you should eat fruits daily and there's a beautiful saying: An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. But do you know that your apple is hard on your enamel. Apple are high in acid which is not so good for your kid's enamel. Tac-tic for saving your kid's teeth after eating an apple is by rinsing the mouth after eating apple properly.

Also read: Why Flossing Is Good For Your Gum Health

7. Starchy food:

We all know kids love french fries, fried rice, aloo puri, bread jam but we should also know that these items are high on starch and carbohydrates which is a primary reason for cavity development. Fries and bread crumbs also find space between teeth to settle down which later can harm your kid's teeth. Tac-tic for saving your kid's teeth after eating starchy food is by rinsing the mouth after eating properly.

8. Raisins:

Raisins provide nutrition. Yes it's true! But what's not true they are good for us. Yes, raisins are sticky in nature and they stays between the teeth which later develops a cavity in the teeth. We should give raisins to our kids as they are high on nutrition but we should take a precaution. We should make sure that they rinse their mouth properly after eating raisins.

9. Cakes and pastries:

Cakes and pastries are made up in a delicious manner. They have layers sweet loaf soaked in sugar syrup and they are presented in a beautifully way that your kid's eyes pops out seeing it. Nowadays they are served with chocolate chips and butterscotch balls, it seems so mouth watering that no one can but it contains a high amount of sugar and carbohydrates which stays on the surface of the teeth which develops cavity.

Cakes and pastries are made up in a delicious manner.
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Here's How Dentists Take Care Of Their Own Teeth: Great Tips By Our Expert

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.