Nutrition in Children

Nutrition in Children

The first third of life passes by growing, developing, maturing and preparing for adult life. Childhood nutritional deficiency and / or imbalance can cause serious problems in oral and dental health as well as various health problems.
 
In particular, uniform nutrition, pastry, chocolate, pies, sweet biscuits, as well as foods such as carbonated drinks and ready-made fruit juices do not provide any benefit to the development of the child, as well as obesity disease that we prepare for the disease because of the high sugar content of oral and dental health because of the negative direction. It is also important for children to take regular and adequate amounts of nutrients they need to take at every meal. For example, breakfast should include foods such as eggs, milk, kefir, cheese which have high nutritional value and play an important role in tooth development and tooth protection. In particular, cheese has an important role in making the mouth environment acidic during the meal and cleaning the teeth. Therefore, in cases where teeth cannot be brushed after breakfast, the latest cheese defeat has a great effect on the prevention of tooth decay. If it is not brushed again, chewing a sugar-free gum and brushing the mouth with plenty of water will reduce the risk of caries.
 
In intermediate meals; foods such as fruit, nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, peanuts), dried apricots, milk, yogurt, kefir, homemade cheesecake, buttermilk; between wholemeal bread, meat or cheese group food and sandwiches containing lettuce and cucumber can be prepared.
 
Fast food-style nutrition in main meals also has negative effects on oral and dental health. Therefore, consumption of such food as well as cola drinks should be restricted. For the continuity of oral and dental health, green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and purslane should be consumed alternately with foods such as fish, chicken and meat.
 
Chips, candies, chocolate, biscuits, pastry, cakes, etc. should be prevented from consuming large amounts of food instead of the main meal. If it is consumed, it should be restricted to 2 days a week after lunch and the teeth should be brushed behind. Even if these foods are consumed before going to bed in the evening, the teeth stay in the oral tissues (gums, palate, cheeks) at night, even when brushed, increasing the risk of caries.
 
Consuming by biting the fruit both cleans teeth mechanically, and we receive much less than the amount of sugar from fruit juice. Even at home, fruit juices are known to be harmful to our teeth.
 
Let's not forget that the nutritional habits given at an early age will last for a lifetime. Parents !!! Whatever you give, your children get used to it. Your children's habits are your habits! Properly fed children will have both body and dental health.

Pedodontist Dr.Özlem Erensayın