Parents don't always spend enough time thinking about their children's dental care. When the children are very young it's important that we pay particular attention to what snacks we choose for our children. Not only are the right foods important for the health and development of our children, but the right choices for snacks and treats will definitely have an effect on the health of their teeth and their gums.

Choosing the right snacks for your kids just takes some common sense. Your kids need nutritious healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains. But far too often we end up substituting convenient packaged snacks and treats instead of providing the children with the natural nutrition of fruits, such as apple, oranges, berries, and bananas.

Children can be finicky when it comes to eating, and allergies can be a concern (especially with nuts and strawberries and the like), but very few children ever say no to a banana, a high nutrition fruit that provides quick energy for children on the go.

While too much sugar can cause tooth decay, and some fruits can increase the rate of decay (for example, offering toddlers apple juice in drinking cups every night before bed), bananas are a food that won't stick to teeth, are easy to remove from dental work, and provide all the positive health benefits you could ask for in a fruit. Vitamins, minerals, potassium, are all packed into simple healthy, low-calorie bananas.

So go ahead and offer your children bananas when they're crazing a treat. It'll likely be an acceptable sugar substitute for your kids, and give them the extra energy they need to keep going and at the same time you'll be able to stop worrying about filling their mouths with sugary snacks that will ultimately lead them to the dentist's chair.