It is difficult to turn on television and not hear about unhealthy school lunches or sodas being consumed in schools. A sugar-rich diet can do more than increase your waistlines. Even children of healthy weight can suffer from tooth decay.

Children are not the only ones who eat sugar. Sugar is a food source for bacteria. Sugar is a food source for bacteria. They produce acid, which can cause cavities. Some sugary culprits can be easy to spot — soda, candy, and so on — but children might also consume sugar when they eat pizza, orange juice, and burgers.

Children would not be able to eat sugary foods if they were to learn the difference between sugary sweetened drinks and natural sugars from fruits and veggies. These tips will help parents minimize the harm done by their children’s diets.

* Brush children’s teeth after every meal and snack. It is easier for bacteria to grow if sugar is removed immediately. If your children are not able to brush their teeth immediately, you can ask them to drink water to flush out some sugar.

* Use probiotics. Although the mouth should contain certain bacteria, a sugary diet can lead to bad bacteria in the mouth. EvoraKids, an oral care probiotic for children, can help restore healthy levels.www.MyEvoraKids.com) probiotic chews. Bad bacteria will have less space to grow if there are more good bacteria. Even if a child has sugar in their diet, it won’t be enough for bad bacteria to grow on that sugar.

* Serve sweets with meals. Slowly sipping sodas throughout the day can do more harm than one that is consumed at once with a meal. Sugary snacks and drinks are a constant sugar bath for your teeth.

* Choose sweets carefully. All sweet foods can cause damage. Bad bacteria is more likely to be fed by sweets that stick to teeth like caramel, taffy, and raisins than sweets that leave quickly. Consuming fruits like apples, pears, and other sugary fruits can help protect your teeth.