Tooth-Healthy Foods For Babies
As a preventative dentist, Dr. Hirai wants all his young patients to enjoy the many benefits that come with having healthy teeth and gums. We proudly provide a wide range of pediatric dentistry treatments to families living in and around Honolulu, Kahala, Hawaii Kai, and Manoa. We’ve worked hard to create a friendly, safe and comfortable office environment young children enjoy spending time in.
As you begin to feed your baby solid foods, it can be challenging to plan a diet that is both healthy for your child and convenient for you to prepare and serve. To make it even more difficult, there are so many baby food choices on the market which the producers all claim are great and healthy. But as smart consumers, most of us realize that some foods are much healthier than others. To help all you parents of young children choose tooth-healthy foods that are good for the oral health of your babies, we’ve put together the following list of good food choices for young children just starting to eat solids.
Bananas
Bananas are tasty, sweet and packed with important nutrients and vitamins that are good for the teeth and gums. The Vitamin C in bananas helps keep gums healthy. Bananas also contain lots of fiber and are low in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat. But they contain sugar, it's important to give your child water after they enjoy bananas.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are another great choice for babies starting out on solid foods. This root vegetable is rich in Vitamin A to promote healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin A also helps the body produce keratin which is a protein that it vital to producing tooth enamel. To make sweet potatoes easy for your baby to eat, peel and boil the potatoes then mash them up so they’re soft and easy to eat and swallow.
Avocados
Avocados are a great source of B Vitamins which help keep the gums healthy. They also contain Vitamin C which boosts gum health as well as folate that assists with repairing damaged gums. Just scoop out the flesh, mash it up and serve it to your baby at meal or snack time.
Winter Squash
Acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash are all winter squash rich in vitamins and minerals which are good for the teeth and gums. These squash are also high in calcium which is important for keeping the teeth & gums healthy. An easy way to cook a winter squash is to cut it in half the long way, remove the seeds then bake it until soft. You can then mash the squash up with a fork or blender until it’s soft and easy for your baby to eat.
Visit Our Hawaii Kai Pediatric Dentist
Our practice agrees with the recommendation made by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) which states parents should establish a “dental home” for their children by the time they turn one year of age. Considering that child’s first tooth typically appears between 6 and 10 months of age, this is the ideal time to schedule a child’s first dental appointment. To set up an appointment with Dr. Hirai, please call us at (808) 737-0076. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping your child get on the right path toward a lifelong healthy and happy smile!