As the saying goes: “On St. Patrick’s day, everyone is Irish!” Gallant parades flow down city streets, and Irish music abounds … shamrock pins are dusted off from the year before … and cupcakes, cookies and crafts turn a shade greener on this special of special days for the nation’s Irish.
And, when it comes to the health of your children’s bodies and their teeth, green is most certainly a good thing! Here are five edible goodies that’ll allow you to ring in St. Patrick’s Day in all its green glory!
- Get Crunchy: Green apples are wonderful allies in what should be an ongoing effort to boost saliva flow and keep your child’s mouth hydrated throughout the day. An “apple a day” is indeed still good advice. Looking for even more crunch, but without the sugar? Try the mighty celery stalk. Eaten raw, it’s somewhat akin to nature’s toothbrush, cleaning your child’s teeth and massaging their gums as they eat. And, like apples, celery helps toward getting that saliva flow going!
- Hit The Garden: Broccoli, kale, and zucchini are fabulous at remineralizing tooth enamel – a critical part of keeping teeth healthy. Combine them with their orange brethren, carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin for a Vitamin-A infused tooth bath that’ll make their dentist proud.
- Go For The Herbs: When it comes to fighting the oral bacteria that promote tooth decay, food that has antibacterial properties is your child’s best friend. Basil and oregano can be champions in this battle, helping to prevent cavities and help fight gum disease at the same time. Not bad for a couple of tasty herbs most wouldn’t mind loading up on a plate of pasta any day of the week.
- Take Trip “Down Under”: That green fuzzy fruit that gets its name from the national symbol of New Zealand (a bird that resembles the kiwifruit) helps supports the collagen network in gum tissue – certainly something we’d all like to keep healthy no matter our age. To help in peeling them, get yourself a good paring knife. The outer skin will come right off with a good knife.