Signs That Your Child May Be Eating Too Much Sugar

There’s no doubt that sugar is delicious and kids love it. However, in large amounts, sugar can pose some serious health risks for your children. Not just for their overall health, but for their oral and dental health as well. 

Signs of Too Much Sugar

How do you know when it’s time to make a change in your child’s diet? Below are a few signs that you may want to cut back on the sugar in your child’s diet. 

• Moody or Irritable – What goes up must come down. After the initial sugar rush, your child will then experience a sugar crash. This will cause their mood to crash as well. Mood swings are a sign of consuming too much sugar.
• Sluggish or Fatigued – This goes right along with the above. Once the sugar crash occurs, your child will begin feeling fatigued and sluggish. If your child’s blood sugar is kept stable, their energy will be more stable as well.
• Weight Gain – Sugar has no protein or fiber, but is full of excess calories. This means that sugar won’t ease hunger, causing your child to eat more and consume these excess calories. Additionally, too much sugar can trigger the release of insulin, which can contribute to weight gain.
• Skin Changes – Excess sugar intake can sometimes cause your child’s skin to break out. If your child is old enough to experience acne, sugar may be a potential trigger. Before taking your child to a dermatologist, first reassess his or her diet.  

Here at Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s dental and overall health is important to us. If your child is exhibiting the above symptoms or consuming a high-sugar diet and you’d like to make an appointment for a dental cleaning and exam, please call our Dover, New Hampshire pediatric dental office today.