Many beverages are packed with high levels of sugar to appeal to children’s sweet tooth, making these incredibly dangerous to their teeth if left unchecked. These are a few beverages to keep children away from to protect their teeth through the years yet to come.
Top Most Cavity-Causing Drinks
It is no secret that many children love sweets. But did you know that having too many sweets can cause havoc to a person’s dental and overall health? Drinks such as fruit juices, sodas, or sports drinks usually contain more than 10gs of sugar per serving, which is about half the recommended daily amount for children. Here are a few reasons why these drinks can cause harm to your child’s teeth:
Fruit juices are often marketed as a healthy alternative, boasting high amounts of vitamin C. However, many of these juices are packed with as much sugar as many soft drinks. Additionally, many fruit juices contain high levels of acidity which can destroy enamel, the protective outer layer of teeth, and make teeth susceptible to cavities.
Sports Drinks contain high amounts of salt in addition to its sugar content. While sports drinks during workouts and heavy activity can replenish many minerals lost through sweat, many children drink sports drinks while inactive. Additionally, the cost of sports drinks makes it easily accessible in high volumes, causing children to create the bad habit of ingesting this drink on a daily basis.
Soda can destroy teeth. Not only do they contain extremely high amounts of sugar, often more than 40g per serving, this carbonated beverage is also highly acidic, making it twice as much a threat against teeth enamel. Patients that consistently drink soda have higher risk of developing decay and gingivitis, as well as obesity, diabetes, and other issues related to overall health.
What Can We Do to Ensure We Choose the Right Beverages?
When choosing the next drink for you or your child, ask yourself a few questions: How much sugar does this drink contain? Is it highly acidic? Is there evidence of health benefits to this drink? Considering these options will help you steer away from typically harmful drinks that cause health complications. Alternatively, good choices for drinks include water, low-sugar vegetable juice, and milk.
Learn more!
Find out more! Call or visit Bradberry Pediatric Dentistry and talk with a health professional from our practice. We supply helpful education tools and provide comprehensive dental care for children. Schedule your consultation with us today!