Fruit Juice? Fruit Snacks? They have the word "fruit"so they must be good, right?!
Often parents are overwhelmed with information about how to best care for their children’s teeth. One area of common misconception and confusion is how fruit flavored drinks and snacks affect our children’s teeth and overall oral health.
Some parents do not realized that most juice or fruit drinks are high in sugar content and are harmful to the health of your child’s teeth. Often, even juices marketed as “100% real fruit” contain many grams of sugar and should be avoided. As children get older, they are often interested in soda, sports and energy drinks. These also have high sugar content, often along with high acidity which is also harmful to the enamel of your child’s teeth. Search for sugar-free alternatives for your children to drink. And remember, the most tooth-friendly drink is water!
Fruit snacks, dried fruit, and other “sticky” foods and candies are another area of concern to the healthy of your child’s teeth. Parents often think of these foods as good for their children because they state they are made with fruit. However, fruit snacks and other “sticky” foods are often very high in sugar content and stick to your child’s teeth for an extended period of time putting his or her teeth at a high risk for dental decay.
If you have concerns or questions about which foods and drinks are the healthiest for your child’s teeth, visit Dr. Phillips or Dr. Stockton or http://www.mouthhealthy.org for guidance!
