Nutrition for young children is always an important issue for parents, especially for those in the teething age. During this stage, children need to be sufficiently supplemented with essential nutrients, not only from calcium-rich foods but also from a variety of other important nutrients.
1. What should teething children eat?
1.1. Teething children should eat more calcium-rich foods
Calcium is an extremely important nutrient in the formation of bones and teeth. Children in the teething age need to be adequately supplemented with calcium. Milk is a food source that contains a lot of calcium. Children should drink plenty of milk and consume many dairy products such as butter, cheese, and yogurt.
Some calcium-rich foods that should be included in children’s daily diet include shrimp, crabs, snails, fish, soybeans, and dark green vegetables.
1.2. Adequate vitamin D supplementation
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus well, supports the process of bone and tooth formation, and makes bones and teeth stronger. Many parents wonder why, despite giving their children plenty of eggs, milk, and even calcium supplements, the children still have rickets; the reason is due to a deficiency of vitamin D, leading to limited calcium absorption.
Therefore, in addition to supplementing many calcium-rich foods, children need to be given vitamin D daily.
Natural vitamin D is found in sunlight. Children should be exposed to sunlight for about 20 to 30 minutes each day, preferably before 9 AM. Health experts recommend that even from birth, children should be exposed to sunlight daily, and their rooms should not be too dark or cramped; they should always be well-ventilated.
There are very few foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Some of these include cod liver oil, eggs… Therefore, the best way is to allow children to be in the sunlight and take synthetic vitamin D.
1.3. Teething children should eat many phosphorus-rich foods.
Besides calcium, phosphorus is also essential for the development of teeth and bones. However, phosphorus is a common nutrient found in most types of animal meat. Therefore, simply ensuring that a child’s daily menu is rich and diverse will provide sufficient phosphorus.
1.4. Teething children should eat many magnesium-rich foods.
Magnesium creates an alkaline environment, helping the body absorb vitamin D and process calcium effectively. Therefore, children who are teething should eat many magnesium-rich foods such as shrimp, crabs, fish, blue crab, various green vegetables, nuts, and various legumes…
