How often do your children eat?

[KeepSmiling83]

Hi

I took DD(5) to the dentist this week to be told she needs a filling. I was absolutely mortified. I asked why as I thought she ate reasonably well and only drinks water. At her last check up 6 months ago her teeth were fine so it seems a real turn around in a short time.

He said it is because DD is a snacker and prefers to eat little and often rather than big meals and really she should only be eating 3 or 4 times a day but no more. Now DD has breakfast, fruit at school at break time, lunch, a snack after school (she is starving!) then tea around 5pm and then sometimes a piece of toast before bed. I have a younger DD so can't really have tea much later than 5pm as she would be starving by then. I don't see how I can cut this down without her being hungry but I do feel absolutely awful about her teeth. She is also very slim so I worry about giving her even less food.

She does have a treat every day - usually after her tea (some chocolate, a small cake or similar) and I am happy for her to have this. Breakfast is cereal or toast, snacks in school and after school are fruit and then she has hot meal in school and for evening meal. The dentist said that eating fruit is just like eating chocolate as the sugar in it attacks her teeth. So I'm at a loss really! I brush her teeth for her twice a day but I really don't want her having fillings. Obviously these are her baby teeth so won't last forever but I'm concerned it will happen with her permanent teeth.

Is there anything I can change? Do your children only eat 3 or 4 times a day?

Sounds perfectly normal to me and the same as my ds eats. Some people do seem to be more prone to fillings. Do you use fluoride toothpaste (I think 3-5yr old Aquafresh toothpaste has the same fluoride content as adult toothpaste 1450 ppm)?

She doesn't use a specific fluoride toothpaste but the dentist recommended one so I have got that to use now. I always thought I was doing the right thing by encouraging her to eat fruit but seems I have made the problem worse. She is quite a fussy eater and has always been a snacker like her dad (whereas me and her little sister eat big meals but tend not to eat in between!)

I will try changing her snack after school - she may have cheese and crackers. Any other recommendations for things she could have that aren't too bad on her teeth?

She's having her advent each morning which is making me feel guilty but she's only 5 so I don't want to say she can't have it!

Peanut butter on toast, carrot/cucumber/red pepper sticks/pitta bread with hummus. Plain Greek yogurt.
I don't think fruit in itself is that bad and you shouldn't cut it all out, just try to have it with a meal and brush teeth after. Raisins are particularly bad as they stick to teeth and if given as a morning snack it could be quite a while until teeth are brushed.

Sounds very similar to how my ds ate at that age, although he didn't have anything except a glass of milk before bed as we have dinner around 6-6:30. He's 8 now and doesn't have a morning snack, hasn't for about three years. He doesn't always have a snack in the afternoon either, sometimes just a milk related drink (not sugary). His school dinner puddings are always cake/biscuit based.