Let’s face it: kids love juice! What’s not to love about a flavorful way to get vitamins to your children? However, while some fruit juices do offer some benefits to their health, they may be doing more harm than good. When it comes to oral health, nothing beats a good old-fashioned glass of water. Here’s the truth about how drinking juice affects your child’s teeth.
But Isn’t Fruit Good for My Child?
The operative word is fruit. Fresh fruits and vegetables are filled with valuable vitamins and nutrients your child needs. Most beverages labeled as “juice” barely contain any natural fruit at all. Instead, they are mostly sugar, artificial flavoring, water, and a bunch of other sweeteners or even corn syrup.
Even the drinks that are marketed as “100% Fruit Juice” aren’t necessarily good for your child’s teeth. Fruits can also naturally have a lot of sugar in them. For example, a glass of grape juice has as much sugar as a glass of soda!
The main factors as to why fruit juice isn’t the best for your child’s smile are the high sugar content and acidity. Sugar feeds the bacteria in their mouths and can lead to cavities. Many fruits are also acidic and wear away at their enamel, leaving their teeth vulnerable to tooth decay.
The Best and Worst Drinks for Oral Health
Some drinks that are good for your child’s smile include:
Your child should avoid these drinks to protect their teeth:
How to Protect Your Child’s Smile
Even though juice might not be the best for your child’s oral health, many kids enjoy having a juice box with their lunch or a glass of their favorite juice with dinner.
Just make sure they’re having juice in moderation and do not let the sugar and acid linger on their teeth! If possible, your child should brush their teeth 20-30 minutes after drinking juice, but rinsing their mouth out with water can also help.
Drinking through a straw can reduce the contact their teeth have with the sugars and acids in juice, but it’s important they don’t sip slowly! As they sip, acid will linger on their teeth and weaken tooth enamel, causing decay over time.
Another helpful way to reduce the risk of tooth decay is to opt for 100% fruit juice with no additives, or better yet, encourage your child to eat whole fruits!
About the Practice
Drs. Homer Sedighi and Jessica Martin provide high-quality, comprehensive care to children of all ages. Their priority is your child’s comfort and oral health. The practice seeks to help children foster a positive relationship with dentistry. If you’re looking to protect your child’s smile for years to come, contact Dr. Sedighi or Dr. Martin through their website or by phone at (636) 777-7777.