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You might think that since your children lose their entire mouth of teeth to the tooth fairy before adulthood that being concerned about damaging those baby teeth is a waste of time. In fact, nothing can be further from the truth. Cavities and tooth decay are painful at any age, and chances are the dental hygiene habits your kids develop early will stick with them throughout their adult lives. While brushing and flossing are obviously important, the foods and drinks your children take in have just as much to do with the health of their mouths. The younger your kids, the more susceptible their teeth are to decay. So try your best to help them avoid food and drinks that can damage their teeth.
Sodas are some of the biggest culprits behind tooth decay. Dark sodas can stain your kids’ teeth, while the sugar content and the acidity can slowly erode their enamel. But did you know that clear sodas are actually worse for your kids? Ginger ale, Sprite and those other light sodas have higher concentrations of ascorbic and citric acids than dark sodas, causing more dental erosion. Soda should be avoided as much as possible, but when the occasional treat is warranted, go with root beer. It has no citric or phosphoric acid and isn’t carbonated, so it will cause the least amount of damage.
Two other drinks that are particularly damaging you wouldn’t expect to be a problem. Any nutritionist would tell you that getting your full day’s supply of fruits is key to balanced nutrition and good health. But the one way you shouldn’t have your kids take in fruit is in a smoothie. In any form fruit isn’t fantastic for your teeth, as it is packed with simple sugars. But when in smoothie form, the citric acid is released as well. And since most people sip on smoothies over time, those sugars and acids are sitting on your teeth for quite a while. Sports drinks are also very bad for your kids’ teeth. According to a couple of recent studies, sports drinks cause a serious amount of erosion to teeth. So don’t think because they are ‘healthy’ that they won’t impact your kids’ beautiful smiles.
A couple of the foods that damage your children’s teeth are healthy foods, so you probably wouldn’t have considered them a problem either. The first is yogurt. The benefits of live bacteria and probiotics in yogurt are well documented, and kids enjoy the fruit in mixed yogurt. The calcium content is also incredibly beneficial. But yogurt is fermented, which means it is high in lactic acid. As with drinks, that lactic acid will erode your teeth. Another healthy choice packed with acids is pickles. They are stored in brine, which makes them incredibly acidic. These aren’t a problem in general, but try to limit the quantities at which your kids consume them. On the sweet side of the scale are raisins, which most parents think are a much healthier alternative to candy. And they do have a high level of important antioxidants. But they are incredibly sticky and packed with natural sugar, making them a difficult choice for teeth.
Sugary treats in general aren’t a fantastic option, but sour candies might be the worst possible choice. Any sweet and sour treat, whether chewy or hard can leave you calling an emergency dentist in Bellevue. So make sure that if you do allow the occasional candy you have your kids brush and floss as soon as possible after they eat. Less tears and lower bills at the dentist will make you both grateful you have.
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