{"id":607,"date":"2024-08-26T14:30:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T14:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/?p=607"},"modified":"2024-08-26T14:31:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T14:31:00","slug":"smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Smarter School Lunch Choices for Better Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch.jpg\" alt=\"Children eating lunch in a school cafeteria.\" class=\"wp-image-608\" style=\"width:336px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s back to school time again, which means it\u2019s time to get energized for the year ahead. But those early mornings, long days, and crazy evenings can take a toll on your child\u2019s appetite, making meals an increasingly important key to powering through the day. But what they eat matters. Sure, a jolt of caffeine or a sugar rush can easily provide a boost to help get them through a slump, but what about the inevitable crash and the toll those foods will take on their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">oral health<\/a>? If your kids are headed back to class this semester, here are some smart choices you can help them make for a body and oral health-friendly diet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smart Choices Start at Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you pack lunch for your kids? If so, you have more power than you think when it comes to protecting their oral and overall health. When you provide a variety of healthy foods, you are not only deciding what your child can consume, but you are also teaching them how to make smart choices on their own when they\u2019re ready to do so for themselves. Here are a few healthy options you can include in their lunchbox this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fresh fruits and vegetables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nuts and seeds (check your school\u2019s policy on these before sending them)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lean meats<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whole grain breads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dairy products such as cheese or yogurt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A reusable water bottle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In the Lunch Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>School lunch has been a dietary staple across the country since 1910. If your family chooses to take advantage of this exceptional program, you may worry that your child might not make the \u201cright\u201d choices without you there to help. But the good news is that many districts are working harder than ever before to provide a variety of healthy options for your children. While what goes on their tray is ultimately up to them, you can still assist them by providing guidance about what kinds of foods to choose. Suggest that they avoid sugary drinks like sports drinks or juice, gummy snacks, pastries or sweets, and anything fried or heavy in carbohydrates. If they are allowed a treat, be sure to remind them to limit it to just one per day or week, and to make sure the rest of their meal offers a balance of healthy options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">After Meals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once your child\u2019s meals are over for the school day, encourage them to care for their teeth away from home. Send them to campus with an oral health care kit that includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. This way they can keep their mouth clean and their breath fresh and prevent any cavities from forming while they\u2019re away from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, be sure that they\u2019re brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day when they\u2019re home, and don\u2019t skip their semi-annual dental exam and cleaning appointments. These are vital for keeping their teeth clean and protecting them from cavities and gum disease, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, back-to-school doesn\u2019t have to mean bad choices. Help your child make smart dietary decisions this year by providing a wealth of nutritious options and help advise them about the kinds of foods they should avoid when they\u2019re the ones calling the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Our Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/about-us.html\">Flenniken Family Dentistry<\/a> is proud to offer patient-centered care. That means we want what\u2019s best for you and your family. We\u2019ll never try to push unnecessary treatments on you, and we\u2019ll always tailor our services to best suit your individual needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To schedule an exam and cleaning for your child, please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/request-an-appointment.html\">visit our website<\/a> or call us today at 717-249-7777.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s back to school time again, which means it\u2019s time to get energized for the year ahead. But those early mornings, long days, and crazy evenings can take a toll on your child\u2019s appetite, making meals an increasingly important key to powering through the day. But what they eat matters. Sure, a jolt of caffeine [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Smarter School Lunch Choices for Better Oral Health | Flenniken Family Dentistry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don\u2019t let your child\u2019s oral health get a failing grade this school year. 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Here are some smart school lunch choices to help their teeth ace their dental exams!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Flenniken Dental Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-26T14:30:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-26T14:31:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"drflenniken\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"drflenniken\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/\",\"name\":\"Smarter School Lunch Choices for Better Oral Health | Flenniken Family Dentistry\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/smarter-school-lunch-choices-for-oral-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/school-lunch.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-26T14:30:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-26T14:31:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7ec607558e385c4dbd98d7be750f8d62\"},\"description\":\"Don\u2019t let your child\u2019s oral health get a failing grade this school year. 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