School’s Out for the Summer! What Snacks and Drinks Can Damage Your Child’s Teeth?
There’s nothing more refreshing than a cold glass of lemonade or a cold soft drink on a hot day. Don’t forget about the s’mores around the campfire that also says summer. Some of our summer food traditions can be damaging to your teeth. Sugar is harmful, but it isn’t the only thing that causes problems for your teeth. Even “so-called” healthy snacks can be harmful to your child’s tooth enamel! Careful what you provide for your children to snack on as they begin to form lifelong habits.
Children get the munchies when they are bored. Following are some of the foods to avoid when they have time on their hands.
What Snacks and Drinks Can Damage Your Child’s Teeth?
Diet and Regular Soda
Drinking sugary soda is a major contributor of cavities to children and adults alike. Diet soda falls in the same category. Although diet soda contains artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, they still have phosphoric acid and citric acid which erodes tooth enamel when consumed too often.
Fruit Juices
You may feel that you’re giving your children something healthy when you give them a glass of fruit juice, but these drinks are notorious for wearing down tooth enamel, which leads to the development of sensitive teeth and ultimately to tooth decay. It’s better to have your child eat an orange or an apple instead of drinking the juice. If you’re going to give your children fruit juice, do so in moderation and have them use a straw to reduce direct contact with their teeth.
Sports Drinks
These beverages can be tough on your teeth. They usually have a lot of sugar and citric acid, which is a bad combination if you want to keep your child’s teeth healthy and strong. Some of the sports drinks also contain caffeine, which can have harmful side effects for children. The acidic quality of caffeinated sports drinks can damage your child’s teeth, but the other side effects, including hyperactivity and insomnia can be linked to too much caffeine in children.
Dried Fruit Snacks
Dried fruit seems to be a healthy snack. Let’s just say dried fruit is better than candy, but it still contains lots of sugar. Dried fruit is also sticky, which leaves lots of sugar on your teeth for long periods of time. This can slowly erode your enamel away as it parks in the corners and crevices of hard-to-reach places, especially in your back teeth.
Citrus Snacks Are Hard on Your Child’s Teeth
Citrus fruits are healthy for you, but the citric acid can attack your child’s teeth. If you serve grapefruit at breakfast, make sure your child rinses out their mouth, and after 30 minutes, have him or her brush their teeth to eliminate the acid left behind.
Dill Pickles
Dill pickles are not good for your teeth. The vinegar used in dill pickles causes enamel erosion, which can cause sensitive teeth and tooth staining.
Processed Carbohydrates
Crackers and white bread contain processed carbs, or sugar. After eating these foods, the carbs are converted to sugar, which causes inflammation, a major component in the development of oral diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
Candy
Candy, whether it’s chewy, or hard, sour, or sweet, it is bad for your teeth. To have sugar hanging out in your child’s mouth allows bacteria to attack the outer layer of tooth enamel.
Regular Dental Appointments Are Crucial
Avoid these damaging drinks and snacks to your children. Be sure to have a check-up with Dr. Angela S. Evanson, DDS every six months for a checkup. To schedule your appointment, please contact her online or call (720) 409-0008.
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