Please help with ideas for a realistic tooth-friendly diet

[venusinfurs]

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.

is it milk teeth or adult?

Twiglett
A mix of milk and adult. And I must say I have worked on that basis always, the idea of having things at certain times. I was even making sure that he had a piece of cheese or at the very least, a rinse of water after anything sweet but the dentist was really hardline about it. She said, if he's having one drink of diluted juice a day then he shouldn't even be having a sweetened yoghurt or smoothie as well. Pretty hard core! And sweets and cocolate, she says, are really once a week things.
Coven - great ideas. Thanks SO much. We have banana custard too, and I never thought of actually making it and adding less sugar.

Holidaymum
whhen you say milk puddings, do you mean things like rice pud? he doesn't like homemade, unfortunately - any others you know?

I think your dentist is being unrealistically harsh tbh. I hardly think needing one filling at 7 necessitates this kind of cut down on sugar intake. I would never advise such drastic measues to a patient.

The problem is, if you become so hardcore about sugar and sweetened foods they become the "forbiden fruit" and thus so much more tempting, potentially leading to problems later on when he is that bit older and has the means to purchase them himself.

Coven,
Ah...are you a dentist by an chance? Interesting - and good - to hear that because I also thought it seemed OTT. Still, I am determined to change things. Do you think rinsing with the mouthwash after the meal will help? (Hope you don't mind me asking)

I'd bloody change dentists ... to one who has a child would be a good start

Coven real name is ComeOVeneer .. clever eh?

are we halloweening already??

Watch out for raisins! A lot of people don't realize how bad they are for teeth.

If he has mixed dentition, then it may be harder for him to clean. Buy some idsclosing tablets (Boots, Superdrug) and get him to use one evbery now & then (after brushing) The areas that he is missing will be dyed red or blue (depends on the tablet). These are the areas he needs to spend more time on.

Watch out for hidden sugars. You will be surprised where they are. Baken Beans, tom sauce, most other sauces, flavoured crisps, soups, breakfast cereal

No added sugar doesn't mean that there isn't sugar in it, just that they couldn't get/didn't need to put anymore in

Dextrose, fructrose, glucose, glucose syrup, hydrolysed starch, invert sugar, maltose and sucrose, are all sugars and can be found in alot of every day foods that you wouldn't think of.

I agree that the more extreme and harcore you are the more they will rebel! Its getting a good mix.

mmmm Bananas and custard have to have that today now!

Thanks, Haunted.
Yes, I agree about the going too far thing - but maybe we will start a new regime that is pretty hard and then when we inevitably relax it, we'll still be doing well. Have had some great ideas and advice on here today. Thanks everyone.

disclosing

Agree with Coven tho, you cannot block out all sugar. Just be careful when it's given and in what form and how often.

Some advice here

Says for teens, but advice is same for a child

More Here

Some good info here with links at the bottom

Brown sugar
Corn syrup
Dextrose
Disaccharides
Fructose
Glucose
Golden syrup
Honey
Lactose
Malt
Maltose
Mannitol
Maple syrup
Molasses
Monosaccharides
Raw sugar
Sorbitol
Sucrose
Xylitol.

(More sugar...)

I'll leave it at that as I don't want to over load you. Mainly wanted you to see the many guises of sugar. (I know I've posted some before) If you want any more info just post here and I'll do my best.

God...I miss my job!

haunted
thank you. Trouble is, I feel I've known and done all those things and he still has problems. One thing that I didn't mention is that I had lately started to let him brush his own teeth (thinking he was old enough now) but the dentist says he's been doing a poor job and I should still be doing it at this age. That in itself might make a big difference.

haunted, were you a dentist too pre kids? (I'm presuming that's why you're not anymore). If so, are yours old enough for this to be relevant? How much sugar do yours have, if you don't mind me asking?

That is where the disclosing tabs will help. It will make him see that he isn't doing such a good job. You should check and if he hasn't done well, make him do it again. Make sure he has a small headed toothbrush, not too hard, not too soft. Make sure he gets to all the surfaces.

He should be able to feel the brush running over his gums.

I know it's hard, but you will have to resume the brushing of he isn't doing it very well. One filling isn't really the end of the world, what is important now is that you reduce the risk of it happening again.

I am a dental nurse. My dd is 3. She has had a relatively good diet, but at the moment I fin d she is being given far too much sugar than I am happy with. My fault entirely. I don't know why I have let it get like this....only that we have recently emigrated and her Grandparents and aunt love spoiling her. And I let them. The one thing I will say is that I brush her teeth religously...she is the only 3 year old I know that will go in the bathroom after Breakfast, lunch & dinner and brush. The other day we didn't do the bedtime brush & I could hear the tap in the bathroom...pooped my head round the door and she was brushing her teeth !!

She would brush her teeth all day if she could!!

oh...and offer her fruit & choc..she will 9 times ot of 10 chose the fruit. And she lives in water.

lives ON water even....it's getting late here!

Ahh, that's so sweet (if you'll pardon the pun!)
She did tell me about disclosing tablets, but that felt like such a bridge too far. Maybe I ought to just get some though.

HauntedsandCastle, are you (or rather where you) melissasmum or something like that? I take it you have headed down under now? Are you enjoying it?

I would go for the disclosing tablets over a strict diet regeime tbh. BTW hauntedsandcastle has provided you with some very god info. Wish my nurses where as well informed as her.

Mine hate the disclosing tablets! I just need to threaten to bring them out for the quality of brushing to improve tenfold!

coven..yep, was melissasmummy. Glad you remembered, and thank you for your nice comment, so glad baby brain hasn't got to that part yet!!

Have been in Oz for 12 weeks now and am loving it. Given up most things English, but can't seem to shake you lot!

What age do you recommend the disclosing tabs from? DS is 5 - too young?