With the opening of schools, a new topic has been added to our agenda, “Nutrition habits of school children”.
Of course, weight and obesity are the most important health problems of our age, but oral health is an equally important topic. Eating habits play an important role in the formation of oral health. Carbohydrate-containing foods, all kinds of confectionery, sweets, biscuits and snacks in the eating habits cause tooth decay. In addition, cola and sugary drinks, including sweetened milk, affect dental health. Therefore, consuming these types of foods during school hours, followed by tooth brushing in schools where tooth brushing is not possible, poses a serious problem and triggers tooth decay.
Therefore, the foods to be consumed at school should consist of “TOOTH-FRIENDLY” foods. If it is necessary to list these tooth-friendly foods;
Cheese-containing foods: Cheese has an anti-cavity quality with the casein it contains. For example; cheddar toast, cheese sandwich, etc.
Peanuts: Thanks to the strong minerals it contains, it strengthens the tooth and saliva structure. For this reason, it should be in the lunchbox, especially as a snack.
Apple: It is very pleasing to know that many school canteens now sell fruit. When an apple is bitten and eaten, it both cleans the teeth and massages the gums. For this reason, it is very useful to consume between meals.
Buttermilk and Natural Milk: Buttermilk has satiating properties. Milk is useful without sweetener. When it contains sugary flavors, it decays the tooth quite a lot.
If chocolate and cola consumption cannot be prevented, mouth should be rinsed with water after such consumption. “Chewing sugar-free or tooth-friendly gum between meals” is very beneficial for our oral and dental health.
