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Original poster

Please help with ideas for a realistic tooth-friendly diet

62 replies

venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 09:56

I've always been on the careful end of the sweet stuff spectrum, yet nonetheless, it seems my seven year old DS has to cut down drastically. The dentist says he needs one filling and we have to radically look at what we are eating. I'm in a complete quandry now, because I already take great care and think he has just inherited my crap teeth, unlike his father's lovely pearly set of gleamers. The main problem seems to be things like fruit smoothies and yoghurts, also yoghurt drinks, which are the main sweet thing in his diet (poor little tyke - honestly, it's so unfair! His friends eat sweets all day!)
I found myself completely at a loss about what to put in his lunchbox today. The dentist has said if he is having diluted juice once a day then he shouldn't have any other sweet drinks, including Innocent smoothies or yoghurt drinks and blithely suggested natural yoghurt. Does anyone's child actually eat this in the real world? Sorry for the rant,but I genuinely want to get it right without completely depriving the poor little soul. One thing she did say was that sugar free gum is a good idea and he hasn;t been allowed it until now, so he's delighted.
I'm genuinely desperate for ideas and would so grateful for anyone's thoughts.

OP posts:
LucyJones · 03/10/2006 09:57

Have you thought about an apple? One after lunch would clean their teeth for them pretty much

NotQuiteCockney · 03/10/2006 09:59

Another thing that people don't always realise isn't great for teeth - if you eat acidic fruit (apples and oranges) it's best to have them all at once, rather than scattered throughout the day. The acid from the fruit, together with the sugar in the fruit, is really not good for teeth. Better than toffee etc, but still not good.

Oh, and my kids eat plain yogurt.

There are "treats" that aren't problems for the teeth: salty things, like basic nice crisps, pretzels, etc. Fresh fruit. Nuts.

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 10:06

Thanks for those ideas. He does get lots of fresh fruit in his diet anyway, but I was just cramming a bit more in the form of smoothies etc (also those Ellen's Kitchen Smoothies, which are just squidgy fruit with no added sugar). But it seems they are the work of the devil in our new sugarfree life...I was giving him a piece of cheese at the end of meals, which I know is a good thing to do. NQC, I'm interested in the idea of the healthy salty things - is that right that pretzels are in this category? He is allowed crisps once a week, which I don't want to increase. They're not allowed to have nuts in their lunchbox and lunch is the biggest problem. Have your kids always had plain yog? I wonder if it's one of those things that's hard to shift once they're used to doing it a certain way. The good thing is that he is really committed to this - he doesn't want to have bad teeth. And I'm prepared to go to lots of effort over it, its just so hard to think of things. Any other thoughts gratefully received.

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NotQuiteCockney · 03/10/2006 10:10

Pretzels are pretty healthy, and you can get plain ones.

I don't think plain simple crisps are the end of the world, but they're not healthy healthy I guess.

Other options: there are interesting Japanese crackers that are v tasty, although lots of them have peanuts in the middle. You can do home-baking with not too much sugar.

I always did struggle with lunchboxes, and defaulted to dried fruit rather a lot, which I know isn't great for teeth.

NotQuiteCockney · 03/10/2006 10:11

(Should I ask about the name? It is a strange combination with the thread ...)

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 10:28

NQC....I'm sorry to be a complete plank, but I don't understand what you mean in your last post at all! Am flummoxed - please explain?
Lunchboxes are a bugger, aren't they?

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Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 10:29

Do you mean my talk name? Sorry - it's a Velvet Underground song, much loved by me.

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NotQuiteCockney · 03/10/2006 10:32

Ah, right.

Um.

It's also a book by Sacher-Masoch, about, well, being a masochist. I've not read it, but as I'm not a Velvet Underground fan, it's what sprung to mind when I saw your name ...

Lunchboxes suck - I did them for two years for DS1, he's now at a place that has school lunches, and I am relieved from lunchbox duty for at least a year ...

BudaBeast · 03/10/2006 10:32

My DS is 5 and has had one filling and is due another. I commented to the dentist that I need to get tougher about teeth cleaning and he just shrugged his shoulders and said that we inherit our teeth.

Obv I am not advocating you disregard your dentist's advice but if you have not got great teeth that that MAY be why your DS has fillings.

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 10:36

NQC...oh. I'm really not into S&M, honest. I just like the cut of these boots, that's all

Budabeast - I think there is some truth in that, but I have to say that your dentist sounds a bit crap! have never heard of one with such a laissez faire attitude before!

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NotQuiteCockney · 03/10/2006 10:42

My dentist is v big on diet/behaviour changes to fix teeth. I think DS1 (just 5) actually has a cavity on one of his teeth, but haven't been in for a check up yet. Thankfully he's still on his baby teeth ...

CovenOVeneer · 03/10/2006 10:44

"Obv I am not advocating you disregard your dentist's advice but if you have not got great teeth that that MAY be why your DS has fillings"

If that is the case all the more reason to be vigilant about diet and cleaning IMO.

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 10:49

Coven
Yes, that's pretty much how I feel. I want to take it very seriously and Do The Right Thing etc, but I also want to be realistic. DS is already highly unusual amongst his peers because we take diet seriously (not being snobbish there, honest - it's sad but true).

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BudaBeast · 03/10/2006 10:56

Well yes - I am more vigilant about teeth cleaning of course. However having know a child of under two have a cavity and her Mum would have been much more strict on diet etc than me, I am aware that it can just be luck of the draw as it were.

Yes - of couse you need to reduce sugary foods. Yes of course you need to teach them proper dental hygiene etc etc. I was just trying to make venusinfurs feel a bit better about her DS's filling!

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 11:07

Buda
So sorry - hope I didn't make you feel criticised. I'm grateful for your comment and think there is definitely some truth in it. I can't otherwise imagine how DS's friends, who trough crap all day long, have avoided fillings otherwise! Ahh...maybe they don't go to the dentist at all!

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Holidaymum · 03/10/2006 11:35

I have problem teeth in both mine, dd especially.

Our Dentist is very keen on oral hygene and diet to counteract what she has inherited!

Sugarfree gum is wonderful as a treat, though it does have the dreaded aspartame so not for daily use, m&s do some nice fruity ones.

Just commented the other day that they never nag for sweets anymore like they once did. They are allowed them once a week and preferably chocolate rather than overtly sugar/candy type ones.

They drink mainly water or milk with fruit juice not squash with their evening meal.

For desert they like fruit pies (homemade so sugar is limited) crumble's are good too especially with oats as the sugar is reduced. Flapjack again lower in sugar as homemade. Also they now love Greek Yogurt with some cooked fruit stirred in, granted some sugar added to the fruit but not as much as in the bought ones.

She also advised Fluorigard Mouthwash to strengthen the enamel which seems to be working well. Good Luck they do adapt (eventually)

Holidaymum · 03/10/2006 11:37

thats not milk with fruit juice! yuk, i mean water or milk in the day and juice with the evening meal!

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 11:43

Holidaymum
Thank you so much - that's so helpful. I will definitely check out the mouthwash and although I'm a bit daunted by having to bake more often, I will definitely give it a go. I hadn't thought about aspartame in the gum. God, it's a minefield, isn't it? I think I'll try Greek yog as that tends to be creamier. I have given him Greek yog with honey before, but now I'm feeling all chastised about it all, am loathe to use the honey!

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Holidaymum · 03/10/2006 11:46

Honey isn't as bad as some other sugar and sweet things after a meal are better than as a snack.

But yes its tough to start with but its gret when they come out of the dentist with no new decay! My dd's enamal didn't form properly on her milk teeth so are now being very very vigilant with the grown up ones, and yes originally we had a dentist who said nothing about diet, blamed it all on genetics as though there was nothing we could do! Pah glad we got rid!

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 11:52

Worryingly, this dentist said something like 'and it's worse to give it to them at mealtimes', which I just know is wrong!

Are there any other pre-prepared things you would suggest as puddings/sweet treats?

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Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 12:42

I've just been to the supermarket and come back with some different cheeses, breadsticks, wholemeal crackers, Twigletts (they appear to be a healthier than crisps), Greek Yog and some fruit scones (again, I've read they are relatively low in sugar) plus Fluoriguard mouthwash! Hope that little lot will help a bit with the lunchbox problem...thanks very much to everyone who has commented and any other thoughts gratefully received.

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Holidaymum · 03/10/2006 12:42

I think that is wrong too! Was told by ours that when you eat you secrete saliva so if you follow with swet foods the saliva thats already present helps digest it and protect the teeth.

Milk puddings don't need to be overly sweet either plus they get lots of calcium.

Original poster
venusinfurs · 03/10/2006 12:43

um, I won't be putting the mouthwash in the lunchbox, obviously!

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Twiglett · 03/10/2006 12:45

its ok to have sweets and chocolate but it is NOT OK to be chomping them throughout the day

so eg if you're giving him 2 biscuits .. give them both at the same time rather than one now and one in an hour ..

dried fruit is particularly bad for him

CovenOVeneer · 03/10/2006 12:45

Mine love bananas so I use chopped bananas to add sweetness to plain yoghurt, or on top of ceareal so no need to add sugar or their favourite is banana with homemade custard (as it is homemade I putvery little suar in. Obviusly there is some natural sugars inbananas but it also has the benefit of being a non acidic fruit.