The right diet and nutrition play an integral part in ensuring strong teeth and healthy gums. Sugar, natural or processed, is your teeth's deadliest enemy and is the prime cause of tooth decay. Retentive sticky foods (such as raisins, caramels, toffees, slowly dissolving hard candies, etc.) that are not quickly diluted by saliva also pose a major risk in the formation of dental cavities. Even apparently harmless wafers/chips are retained on the tooth for a long period of time & eventually broken down into carbohydrates & sugars leading to decay.

Many inter-related factors must be considered when the growth and development of children is being evaluated in respect to their oral health. Children should be given carbohydrates in their natural forms (as far as possible). They should be encouraged to eat hard fruits in whole instead of juices. This helps cleanse and stimulate teeth. Sticky/soft foods like white bread, pastries, aerated drinks, doughnuts, sweet rolls and processed cereals, one of the biggest causes of tooth decay, should be avoided. Beverages like lassi, buttermilk and home-made squashes should be encouraged.