Daily brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups are a big part of keeping toddler teeth healthy and strong. But, what a child eats can also affect the teeth. Here are some tooth-friendly foods to serve to toddlers.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Raw foods are great for the teeth. Chewing raw foods massages the gums which helps clean the teeth. Offer fruits and vegetables that create more gnawing and those that have high water content such as apple, cranberry, orange, pear, strawberry, watermelon, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber and sweet potatoes. However, fruits do contain natural sugars that can cause cavities so make sure your toddler brushes his teeth after eating them. Also, try to reduce your toddler’s banana and raisin consumption and avoid canned fruits since they are packed with added sugars and preservatives that are harmful to your toddler’s teeth.

Grill vegetables, make a bowl of fresh fruit salad, spread a small amount of your toddler’s favorite spread (e.g. peanut butter or jelly) or offer low-sugar dips to make fruits and vegetables tastier for your toddler’s palate.

Cheese

Cheese contains casein – a protein found in milk that is helpful for strengthening the tooth’s surface, phosphate which balances the pH content in the mouth, making it a less welcoming place for the bacteria to cause cavities and calcium, which helps keep tooth enamel strong.

Make this finger food more appetizing for your little one by adding it into his favorite grilled chicken sandwich, cutting it into fun shapes with a cookie cutter or make kebabs with fruits. Stick to aged cheeses such as cheddar, Gouda and Swiss which helps stimulate the flow of saliva to cleanse food particles from teeth.

Yogurt

Just like cheese, yogurt also contains calcium, casein and phosphate that replenish the depleted mineral contents of the teeth. Since toddlers like the taste of yogurt, you will not have a hard time feeding this to your little one. You can offer low-sugar yogurt for breakfast or as a snack and add some nuts or cereal to make it more enticing.

Whole Grains

Whole grains are healthy carbohydrates that will not cause dental problems unlike unhealthy carbohydrates (e.g. white bread and baked goods) that contain high sugar which can coat the teeth and cause cavities and tooth decay. Plus, they are also full of fiber, vitamins and minerals which helps make your toddler’s teeth healthy and strong.

Some examples of whole grains your toddler will surely love are whole grain bread, cereals, crackers, oatmeal, rice and pasta.

Nuts

Nuts are unprocessed foods which are good for the teeth. Eating nuts entail plenty of chewing causing the mouth to salivate more which helps reduce acids. Nuts are also loaded with calcium, magnesium and phosphate all of which promote healthy teeth and gums. Almonds, cashews, peanuts and walnuts are all excellent choices for snacks.

Water

You may think this is a no-brainer but did you know water is the last beverage children will drink if they are given a choice of drink? Unlike milk, juice and smoothies, water has no decay-causing sugars. It washes off food particles that get caught between the teeth. In addition, tap water contains fluoride which fortifies tooth enamel.

Give your toddler a cute sippy cup with a curly straw or add a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of water to up the appeal of H2O.

A nutritious diet should not just focus on your toddler’s growing body, but it should also include those small pearly whites. Make sure to add these good food choices to his daily diet for a healthy smile.