Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : October 25, 2017 10:24 AM IST
For some parents this seems harmless, sharing a bite or two from the baby s plate, eating with the same spoon or taking a sip from the sipper doesn t make them wary. I am not judging people who do this because till about a while back even I thought that this is a harmless practice. But when I visited the paediatric dentist with my daughter (who has more than one cavity) and I categorically told her that I maintained a good oral hygiene by making her brush twice a day and ensuring that she rinses her mouth after every meal. My dentist told me that the reason for cavities is not chocolates, junk food or lack of brushing. Here are 10 foods that help prevent dental cavities in children.
My dentist listened to every detail keenly and then asked me one simple question. Do you or your family members eat from the same plate, cup or spoon as that of your baby s? I was little taken back with this question but answered in positive. She pointed out that this is where I went horribly wrong and this could be a reason why my child ended up having more than one cavity at a tender age of five.
She explained that there is a reason why you get special plates, spoons and cups for babies because as adults you are not supposed to eat from them. If you share the same spoon during meal times you are transferring a lot of germs and bacteria through your saliva which takes refuge in your child s oral cavity. If you are not careful enough to clean her mouth properly, these bacteria can erode the enamel and set the stage for dental cavities. And if you already have cavities which are left untreated it can do more damage. An expert tells us why you need to take your child s dental hygiene seriously.
This made me think for a while; both I and my husband have untreated cavities. Of course, dental hygiene comes to the fore only when a toothache gets the better of you. We don t always share food from the same plate, eat with a spoon or sip from the same cup but there are times when we do make this mistake. Well, sharing even once can do the damage. So, we stopped doing this since the day we visited the dentist.
Well, it is not only because of cavities that you should stop sharing food or eating with the same spoon and plate, it also reduces the chance of transferring an allergy from an adult to a child. If you have asthma, bronchitis or even cold, eating from the same plate would mean giving your child the same allergy. So for hygiene reasons and for the sake of your health stop this practice right away. If you harbour this thought like many Indian families that sharing food from the same plate, eating from the same spoon or sipping from the same cup strengthens the parent-child bond let me tell you it is a foolish idea, it only makes your kid sick.
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