Tooth-Friendly Lunch Box Tips

Tooth-Friendly Lunch Box Tips

Investing in a good lunch box could be an investment in your oral health

It is that time of year again, back to school time! While many parents are trying to figure out what to pack in their children’s lunch boxes, we thought now might be a good time to talk about some dental friendly choices! And better ... these tips are great for the young and old alike. While many of the things packaged in stores for lunch boxes look tasty and convenient, they are not only bad nutritionally, but also bad for your teeth. 

Though sugar does not directly cause cavities, it does fuel the bacterial metabolization necessary that does directly cause tooth decay.

Minimizing sugar intake is important.  Yet maybe even more important is to minimize foods with "stickiness".   Especially bad, yet not commonly thought of as being "bad for teeth" are potato chips and other "sticky" carbs. 

 Refined sugars are often found in these lunch box staples and should be avoided:

•  Fruit juices, Kool-Aid, sodas and other sugary drinks
•  Raisins and Dried Fruits
• Chewy Granola Bars
•  Cookies and Cakes
• Gummy Fruit Snacks and Fruit Roll-Ups
• Hard Candies and Lollipops
• Sticky "Carbs" (Potato Chips) 
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches – We are sure to get some protesting from parents and kids, but this one can be incredibly sticky.

Things to include in your lunch box:

• Water or White Milk
• Raw Vegetables – Hard and crunchy vegetables can actually help to clean teeth as they are eaten such as: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery and peppers,
•  Raw Fruits – The best choices are the ones with high water content such as: apples, grapes, bananas, melons, and kiwi
•  Low-Fat, Hard and Aged Cheeses – These can be cut into shapes with cookie cutters as a way to encourage kids to eat this.
•  Ranch Dressing - if it helps to encourage kids to eat the raw vegetables
• Sugar-Free Yogurt - like milk, it has a high pH (alkali-acid balance), which means it works great to help neutralize acids in your mouth before they can cause tooth decay.
• Chicken, Turkey, Beef, and Hard Boiled Eggs – These items are a good source of phosphorous, which, along with calcium, comprises the majority of the structure of tooth enamel. Eating these foods can actually help strengthen the enamel in your teeth.
• And a compact toothbrush & toothpaste could be included (occaisionally) for fun and to help "remind" about good oral hygiene.

Of course brushing after each meal is highly recommended.  However, if time is an issue or there is not access to a way to brush your teeth (which is usally the case at school), rinsing your mouth with water for a minute after eating will help to loosen some of the food that gets stuck to teeth.  This is a good habit to get into after eating any meal, snack, or sugary drink if you cannot brush afterwards. Not only are these tips good for your teeth, but they are also good for your body!