Get ready to "go back to school"!

When you have school going children, this time of year is full of the stresses of preparing them for September. Especially with the extended break our children have had due to the Covid-19 pandemic, increased anxiety levels amongst parents and children are common. Preparation is key to help ease and transition your kids into the next school term.

One of the many things to think about is your child's lunchbox!

Here are my top tips on what to give your children for snacks and lunches to keep them and their teeth health!

1.Do not give you children fizzy drinks, flavoured milks, juices or cordials for school. Stick with water or milk only. Get your child into the habit of drinking unflavoured water during the school day keeping the pH of their mouth neutral. If there is an occasion where your child is going to be drinking a fizzy drinks, drink it though a straw. Juices are high in sugar and have little nutrional value beside fibre.

2. Do not allow treats in your child's lunchbox, even if its a Friday/birthday. Save the treats for a weekend party or a very special occasion!

3. Avoid sweet snacks like raisins. Raisins are very high in sugar and stick to teeth easily.

4. Fill the lunch box with healthy and nutritious food . Sandwich filling should be healthy meats or cheese (cheese are particularly good as they are a source of calcium, they also lower the pH in the mouth and help to "clean " teeth)

5. Bento boxes are a fun way to introduce lots of different foods into you child's lunch

6. Fill your lunch box with healthy vegetables ( carrots, celery and other crunch vegetables) and fruits

7. A yoghurt is an excellent addition to a lunch box albeit a bit messy! Filled with calcium, and vitamins, they help strengthen our child's teeth and bones.

There you have it! Preparation is key to ensure your child eat healthy food when returning to school. Ensure your child sees their dentist at least once a year. Dr Jennifer Collins and her team at Northumberland Dental Care look forward to seeing you all soon! Good luck going back to school!