Originally published: April 2023, updated April 2025
Help your child keep their sweet smile! Try these tips to limit sugar and protect their teeth from tooth decay (cavities):
1. Talk with your child about sugar and oral health
Sugary food and drinks increase the risk of tooth decay. Teach your child that there are bacteria in their mouth that break down the sugar we eat and make acids. These acids can damage the surface of their teeth (enamel). This can lead to tooth decay. To help show how acid can weaken your teeth, try the Canadian Dental Association’s “Eggsperiment” with items often found at home. The good news is that when we eat and drink less sugar, we can protect our teeth from tooth decay.
2. Teach kids to be sugar detectives!
Learn how to spot sugar on a food’s ingredient list. Sugar products that are added to food appear on the list of ingredients in brackets after the name ‘sugars’. Words like sucrose, syrup, honey, molasses and fruit juice and puree concentrate are sugar products. When these words appear near the beginning of the list, the food or drink is higher in sugar. Offer your child snacks and drinks where most sugars come from the natural sugars in fruits, vegetables and unsweetened dairy products, rather than from added sugars.
3. Choose tooth-healthy snack for your family
Talk with your kids about choosing tooth-healthy snacks like whole fruits, raw vegetables, hard boiled eggs, plain yogurt, nuts or seeds. Together, replace sugary drinks with water and plain milk. Try setting a goal you can all work towards.
4. Put away the sugar bowl
Encourage your kids to avoid adding sugar to their food before they eat it. Here are some tasty, nutritious ways to swap out sugar:
- Top plain oatmeal with berries.
- Eat vegetables and fruits in their natural form, without sweetened dips or sauces.
- Replace syrup with unsweetened apple sauce or plain yogurt.
5. Make water your family’s go-to drink
Try these tips to encourage your child to drink water throughout the day:
- Serve water with all meals and snacks.
- Encourage your child to keep a reusable water bottle with them at school.
- Replace sugary drinks with water. Remind them that water is the best way to quench thirst during physical activity or when it’s hot outside—encourage them to skip sugary sport and energy drinks.
6. Ask your dental professional about sugar and oral health
Limiting sugar is an important way to protect your child from getting tooth decay.
Book regular appointments for your child to see a dentist or dental hygienist. Ask them for advice on keeping teeth healthy. Encourage your child to brush their teeth for 2 minutes, at least twice a day, with a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Go to ahs.ca/oralhealth to learn more about financial support for dental care.
For more information, go to:
Sweet smiles: 6 tips to limit sugar and protect your child's teeth
