And some of the most common children’s foods — like crackers, cookies, dried fruit and peanut butter — are prone to staying in the mouth longer than some other foods, says Michael Webb, D.D.S., director of the clinical service of dentistry at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. Sugars and starches in foods enable the bacteria in plaque to make acids. An acid attack of more than 20 minutes can lead to a cavity. So, sucking on a bottle filled with juice or licking a lollipop every few minutes is risking tooth decay, Webb says.

Limiting sugar-loaded “fruit drinks” and soft drinks helps, but remember that even 100-percent fruit juices contain a lot of natural sugar. Dried fruits and fruit snacks stick to teeth. Carbohydrates like pretzels or crackers also lead to decay because they break down into sugar, he says.

Does this mean parents should tell their children to never eat a lollipop? Never eat cookies? That probably isn’t necessary. But if a child gets a lot of cavities, decrease the frequency so that sugary snacks are eaten around mealtime. When children have no way to brush, they should rinse their mouths vigorously with water after they eat, Webb says.

Why Some People Get Cavities More
	Teeth that resist cavities tend to have a very hard, thick, glossy enamel, says Webb. Cavity-prone teeth may have a dull or chalky enamel, sometimes the result of a childhood illness or a reaction to some medication taken while the teeth were growing in, he says. However, most of the time, cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods combined with a lack of brushing. The consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference — thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food particles more quickly. Eating more carbohydrates and sugars tends to cause thicker saliva and also creates more of the acid-producing bacteria that cause cavities.