6 ms·

This has been popping up in the news periodically for a few years now. However, as a parent of young children, I'm still trying to figure out the next step. Tha

by ip26 6y ago

This has been popping up in the news periodically for a few years now. However, as a parent of young children, I'm still trying to figure out the next step. That is, what to feed them that is nutritious, tasty, and also works the jaw. Raw carrots and overcooked meat are not tolerated for long. Even if I don't serve them mush, al dente pasta and tender-cooked meats are quite soft. Home-made jerky and artisan-style bread (with a really tough crust) are the best I've come up with so far. I did have an insatiable desire to chew on gum for a year or so while a teenager. In retrospect I wonder if it was innate. Didn't save my wisdom teeth though.

Ericson2314 6y ago
Rhubarb
- ip26 6y ago
  Raw I presume?
  - triyambakam 6y ago
    Isn't it poisonous raw?
    - Ericson2314 6y ago
      Just the leaves
  - Ericson2314 6y ago
    Yeah. I finally tried out of curiosity. Very fun. Was disappointed I only had 4 stalks.
smithza 6y ago
A parent of a youngin' also, I am realizing there is balance needed. Technological prowess is part of the balance... we have orthodontic abilities to correct our teeth when tough food is lacking... and rub teeth with fluoride twice a day to help offset enamel breakdown.
- ip26 6y ago
  Most of it can be tweaked with appliances, but the length of the lower jaw is important and I don't think we have an appliance for that yet. An aligned bite helps keep your teeth straight, but you'll have trouble getting one if your lower jaw is too short.
_jal 6y ago
Chew toys. Seriously - kids often chew on pens and other random household objects. Something less likely to make a mess/be gross or dangerous would seem preferable.
- brennanpeterson 6y ago
  I agree! A great thing would be chew toys for kids. Probably a nice business. I mean, the core of this is that teeth are strengthened by exercise (and fluoride). Huge benefits, and cheap in the long term. Always been a side business I have been intrigued by, but never saw a way that I brought enough to this particular table to start it.
  - sjg007 6y ago
    These exist. Mostly for autism and anxiety after teething.
    - brennanpeterson 6y ago
      Neat, why not get dentists to give to....everyone? It is a marketing problem, it seems like? I mean fluoridated chew toys for kids that strengthen teeth and reduce future orthodontics costs seems like a good one?
      - ravenstine 6y ago
        Eh... must the toys contain fluoride? It's one thing to rinse and spit, but it's not as if consuming fluoride is free of side effects. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491930/
      - sjg007 6y ago
        No... none of this is validated. Also orthodontists have tools to fix your palate while you are growing.
    - 6y ago
centimeter 6y ago
Rare flank steak or tri-tip, cut along the grain. They will have to rip it by pulling. Healthier and tastier than overcooked meat.
fellowniusmonk 6y ago
I chewed on ice constantly as a kid, and I have super strong teeth. I would encourage your kids to crunch ice.
conductr 6y ago
Having a 1.5yo, one of the unexpected joys has been seeing how their consumable options increase based on teeth being acquired.
_nhynes 6y ago
> Raw carrots Have you tried slathering them in an unhealthy amount of peanut butter (+extra salt, sans palm oil)? It's basically food crack on par with roasted Brussels sprouts. Heck, skip roasting the Brussels and serve those raw with peanut butter, too!
abdullahkhalids 6y ago
I don't know about cultural constraints, but as a kid, one my favorite parts of food was goat bone marrow. In South Asian goat curries, you add sliced-in-half bone. Getting the marrow out is a combination of sucking and biting and chewing, which helps a lot with Jaw strength.
predakanga 6y ago
I saw an interview[0] last week where the guest recommended biltong, or leaving bread to go slightly stale before serving it. He also goes into some research on the effects that our diet changes are having on short-sightedness; slightly rambly, but very interesting interview. [0]: https://www.instagram.com/p/CAm7u5UAv1K/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CAm7u5UAv1K/ - don't mind the venue, it's just a comedian interviewing interesting people

by ip26 6y ago

Ericson2314 6y ago

Rhubarb

ip26 6y ago
Raw I presume?
- triyambakam 6y ago
  Isn't it poisonous raw?
  - Ericson2314 6y ago
    Just the leaves
- Ericson2314 6y ago
  Yeah. I finally tried out of curiosity. Very fun. Was disappointed I only had 4 stalks.

smithza 6y ago

A parent of a youngin' also, I am realizing there is balance needed. Technological prowess is part of the balance... we have orthodontic abilities to correct our teeth when tough food is lacking... and rub teeth with fluoride twice a day to help offset enamel breakdown.

ip26 6y ago
Most of it can be tweaked with appliances, but the length of the lower jaw is important and I don't think we have an appliance for that yet. An aligned bite helps keep your teeth straight, but you'll have trouble getting one if your lower jaw is too short.

_jal 6y ago

Chew toys. Seriously - kids often chew on pens and other random household objects. Something less likely to make a mess/be gross or dangerous would seem preferable.

brennanpeterson 6y ago
I agree! A great thing would be chew toys for kids. Probably a nice business. I mean, the core of this is that teeth are strengthened by exercise (and fluoride). Huge benefits, and cheap in the long term. Always been a side business I have been intrigued by, but never saw a way that I brought enough to this particular table to start it.
- sjg007 6y ago
  These exist. Mostly for autism and anxiety after teething.
  - brennanpeterson 6y ago
    Neat, why not get dentists to give to....everyone? It is a marketing problem, it seems like? I mean fluoridated chew toys for kids that strengthen teeth and reduce future orthodontics costs seems like a good one?
    - ravenstine 6y ago
      Eh... must the toys contain fluoride? It's one thing to rinse and spit, but it's not as if consuming fluoride is free of side effects. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491930/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491930/
    - sjg007 6y ago
      No... none of this is validated. Also orthodontists have tools to fix your palate while you are growing.
  - 6y ago

centimeter 6y ago

Rare flank steak or tri-tip, cut along the grain. They will have to rip it by pulling. Healthier and tastier than overcooked meat.

fellowniusmonk 6y ago

I chewed on ice constantly as a kid, and I have super strong teeth. I would encourage your kids to crunch ice.

conductr 6y ago

Having a 1.5yo, one of the unexpected joys has been seeing how their consumable options increase based on teeth being acquired.

_nhynes 6y ago

> Raw carrots Have you tried slathering them in an unhealthy amount of peanut butter (+extra salt, sans palm oil)? It's basically food crack on par with roasted Brussels sprouts. Heck, skip roasting the Brussels and serve those raw with peanut butter, too!

abdullahkhalids 6y ago

I don't know about cultural constraints, but as a kid, one my favorite parts of food was goat bone marrow. In South Asian goat curries, you add sliced-in-half bone. Getting the marrow out is a combination of sucking and biting and chewing, which helps a lot with Jaw strength.

predakanga 6y ago

I saw an interview[0] last week where the guest recommended biltong, or leaving bread to go slightly stale before serving it. He also goes into some research on the effects that our diet changes are having on short-sightedness; slightly rambly, but very interesting interview. [0]: https://www.instagram.com/p/CAm7u5UAv1K/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CAm7u5UAv1K/ - don't mind the venue, it's just a comedian interviewing interesting people