Schools back! This month’s BLOG addresses healthy dental choices for lunchboxes - Complete Dental

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Schools back! This month’s BLOG addresses healthy dental choices for lunchboxes

There are plenty of good ideas available online to keep your child’s lunch box interesting and tooth friendly.

The aim is to include healthy low sugar options from the 5 food groups: wholegrains, protein, dairy, vegetables and fruit, along with drinking water. Checkout https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes

Specific dental guidelines include:

  1. Check for hidden sugars in pre-packaged snacks. Avoid processed foods like potato crisps and biscuits, as well as sticky food like muesli bars as the plaque bacteria feeds on sticky refined foods that linger on the tooth surface.
  2. Yoghurt is high in calcium, which is important for developing adult teeth, but check the sugar content is under 12 grams as flavoured yoghurt can be very high in sugar. Low fat alternatives are even higher in sugar than the full fat varieties. Greek yoghurt is a good option as it is higher in protein.
  3. Cheese is a great option for lunch boxes due to the calcium content and it protects tooth enamel by reducing the acidic exposure of fruit or sweet treats.
  4. Avoid concentrated fruit like sticky rollups or dried fruit, which are high in fructose sugar. Instead choose whole fruit, which are high in fibre. Limit fruit servings to twice daily. Not all fructose is the same, so although fruit is highly nutritious there can be a link between dental cavities when a healthy child is a ‘fruit-bat’ An example of one fruit serving is: 1 apple or banana,1 cup of watermelon or unsweetened stewed natural fruit, 1⁄2 cup of berries or grapes https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/guidelines
  5. Drinking plenty of fresh water is so important for healthy saliva flow, which protects the teeth. Alternatives to water will have an acidic content. Avoid the convenient popper juice boxes which have concentrated fructose sugar and are harmful to teeth enamel when consumed regularly.
  6. The recommended daily vegetable intake is 5 cups (servings). Crunchy vegetables stimulate saliva flow and help to naturally scrub the teeth so try to include 1 cup of vegetables into your child’s lunch box if you can.

In summary an example of some tooth friendly lunch box choices could be:

A whole grain sandwich or wrap with cheese and salad. Some high protein options like almonds, a boiled egg, plain yoghurt or tinned tuna. Homemade muffins with wholemeal flour, hummus with vegetable sticks (cucumber/carrots/celery) and berries or an apple.

Wishing you and your children a great start back to school. Please contact us for an appointment to ensure there are no concerns with your child’s developing teeth and to continue to build their confidence with regular routine dental visits.

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We go the extra mile to adapt our services to ensure your complete comfort. Should you have any questions or concerns about your procedure, we are always available for a reassuring chat — just give us a call on 3396 4094.

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Complete Dental is a Preferred Provider for several health funds, so you benefit from the best possible rebates on your dental treatments. It's important to note that we welcome and accept all health funds, making quality dental care accessible for everyone.

Our promise to you

At Bastow & Chye Complete Dental, we promise to provide you with exceptional dental care. We are committed to creating a welcoming, comfortable environment where your wellbeing is our top priority. From our personalised treatment plans to our patient-centric philosophy, we strive to make each visit a positive experience. As a Preferred Provider for multiple health funds and with two convenient locations in Wynnum West and Lota, we aim to make quality dental care both accessible and affordable. Our goal is to be your partner in maintaining a healthy, radiant smile throughout every phase of your life.

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