Beach Friendly Snacks

 

Towels? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Hangry kids? Let’s hope not! There's nothing like a family outing to the beach, but you’ll want to be prepared when hunger strikes. Here are some of our favorite healthy (and tooth-friendly) snacks to have on hand:

• Peanut butter banana roll ups are a perfect way for your kids to get the protein they need! Bananas are also loaded with potassium as well as vitamins B6 and C. Try using a wrap instead of bread to make bite sized pieces perfect for the kids.
• Fruit popsicles are a great refreshment for you and your children on your beach days. Use a standard cupcake liner around the base of the popsicle stick to keep your kids hands and bathing suits clean! Try this watermelon recipe for your next beach popsicles!
• Fruit on a stick! Digging through a bag of fruit at the beach is a recipe for disaster. Make fruit kabobs for a sweet mess-free snack. TIP: The best fruit choices for the beach are watermelon, blue or purple berries, mango and apricot because of their phytochemicals that can help protect your skin from harm UV rays!
• Raw vegetables are a perfect snack for the beach. Individually bag a mixture of different veggies such as baby carrots, celery sticks, or zucchini, for each child.  All these vegetables are not only great for teeth but work to keep you hydrated as well! TIP: Add hummus or peanut butter to give the vegetables a little kick!
• Trail mix! Toss together unsalted nuts, seeds, and dried fruit to customize your own trail mix. Avoid adding chocolate, it will melt easily and become messy! TIP: To avoid the kids wasting the food when it drops in the sand, use mason jar containers to dispense the trail mix more easily!

For more tips on how to keep teeth healthy - give us a call! At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for over 14 years. We have three locations: Nesconset, Massapequa Park, and West Islip.

Smile Saving Snacks

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We have a nice weekend ahead of us! Whether you are planning a trip to the beach, have your child’s sport game to attend, or are staying home for a play date, make sure your kids’ bellies are well prepared. Select some filling, healthy snacks that also help their oral health! These smile saver foods actually strengthen kids’ teeth:

Oranges, kiwis, strawberries, limes, peppers - The vitamin C found in these foods help kill bacteria that can be found in your child’s mouth. But, be sure they wait at least 30 minutes before brushing after consuming any citrus foods or drinks as the citric acid can temporarily weaken tooth enamel and leave teeth vulnerable to erosion caused by brushing.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese - These foods are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphate - which raise the pH level in the mouth, lowers acid levels, and reduces the risk of tooth decay. Calcium also helps to repair damaged enamel, strengthen bones around your child’s teeth, and makes them more resistant to gum disease later in life!

Raw carrots, celery, cauliflower, green beans, and snap peas - These foods naturally scrape away plaque that can build up between meals or that may be missed when brushing. Have your child eat these crisp veggies slowly and to completely chew each serving to get the full benefit!

Sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds, and nuts - Oils in the seeds help to strengthen enamel, making them more resistant to cavities. As an added bonus, most seeds also contain calcium! Children over 4 can eat these seeds and nuts as a healthy snack!

Have any other tooth-friendly treats your kids love? Head to our Facebook page and share your ideas! And don't forget to take your kid's selfie for our #SelfieOfSummer contest!!

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

photo credit: sAM_68 via photopin cc

Tooth Tips for Summer!

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Schools out, and before your kids run off to their summer camps, play dates, or sport games - there are a few things to keep in mind. We always tell our children to be careful - look both ways when crossing the street, wear a helmet when riding a bike, but do you also remind them of ways they can be protecting their teeth?

Protecting your child’s smile is just as important as guarding against skinned knees. See below for some ways your can help keep your child’s teeth healthy and strong these upcoming summer months:

Wear a mouth guard while playing summer sports - According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, about 10-39% of childhood dental injuries are sports related. There’s no need to risk it, any mouth guard is better than NO mouth guard. Before your child’s next game - make sure a mouth guard is included as part of their uniform. 

Chew on sugarless gum, not ice! - Yes even though ice is natural, sugar free, and refreshing - it can be risky to your teeth! Munching on hard, frozen cubes can weaken enamel, leading you to crack or even chip your teeth. So leave the ice chomping to the blenders, have your kids pick up sugarless gum instead.

Choose smart tooth snacks - When packing snacks for the beach or even to include in your child’s lunch, opt for ones that are tooth-friendly. Dip a banana in yogurt and freeze for a tasty frozen treat or brew up some refreshing drinks as an alternate to sugary Kool-Aid!

Brush before bedtime - This year round advice hasn’t changed, but in summer months with later curfews and night time Ralph’s Italian Ices runs, it’s important this tip doesn’t slip through the cracks. Make sure your kids brush their teeth before going to bed and only have water to drink after brushing.

These tips plus scheduled dental visits can help your children enjoy this summer with healthy smiles! If you’re looking to schedule your child’s next dental visit, give us a call! We have offices in Nesconset, Massapequa Park, and West Islip and are always available to talk with you and address any concerns.

3 Tooth-friendly Summer Recipes

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Summer’s just around the corner, and that means so are some of your kids’ favorite snacks – ice cream sundaes, lemonade and ice pops. Unfortunately these sugar-loaded treats can take their toll on teeth. Not to worry – we’ve got you covered with three tooth-friendly summer recipes your kids will love!

Smoothies
Ice cream sundaes and shakes are no doubt delicious, but all that sugar is not good for your children’s teeth. If they’re craving something cold and sweet, throw together a tasty smoothie! We love this list of healthy smoothies kids will actually enjoy. Note that the recipes do not contain added sugar (other than honey), so your kids’ teeth will stay happy and healthy.

Refreshing Drinks
When temperatures are high, children may be tempted to grab an ice cold Coke, Kool-Aid, lemonade or other sweet drink. They contain excess sugar which can destroy teeth and contributes to obesity and obesity-related health conditions. This healthy alternative to Kool-Aid is the perfect replacement! It’s made from herbal tea, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon and salt, making it free of artificial flavors and dyes.

Healthy “Ice Cream”
It might look and taste like ice cream, but this sweet treat is made with just a few simple, tooth-friendly ingredients. Kids will love Rachael Ray’s Banana “Ice Cream” Fakeout, and they won’t even realize it contains no refined sugars. What an easy way to satisfy your child’s sweet tooth without contributing to tooth decay.

Have any other tooth-friendly summer recipes you’d like to share? Head to our Facebook page and share your ideas!

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.