As a loving parent, you’re doing everything you can to give your little one the nutritious foods and drinks they need to stay healthy. However, you’re busy! You don’t always have time to decipher the confusing nutrition labels when choosing your child’s beverages. Unfortunately, the choices you’re making may not be as healthy as you think. Recent studies show that well over half of drinks marketed for kids contain lots of added sugar, and many of them come in packaging showing fruits that make them appear healthy. Read on as we go over the important connection between juice and cavities in kids and what you can do to keep your little one’s smile happy and healthy!
Don’t Judge a Juice By Its Box
Using images of healthy fruits and misleading wording, marketing companies give their beverages the appearance of being healthy, when in reality they contain less than 1% fruit juice and are loaded with added sugars. Even claims saying “less sugar” and “no high fructose corn syrup” should be taken with a grain of salt, as they leave giant loopholes for what kinds of sweeteners are in your child’s drink. When searching for the right children’s beverage, look for “100% fruit juice.”
What About 100% Natural Fruit Juice?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between the ages of 1 to 6 should only have 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice a day, and kids between 7 and 18 should be limited to 8 ounces. In fact, the AAP recommends giving no fruit juice to children under the age of 1!
While fruit juice is healthier than sugar-sweetened beverages, they still contain a lot of natural sugar along with all those good nutrients. Plus, many fruit juices are highly acidic, which allows them to burn through the thin layer of enamel on baby teeth very quickly. This combination is the perfect storm for a mouthful of cavities if juice isn’t enjoyed in moderation.
Staying Hydrated & Cavity-Free
So what can you do to make fruit juice a safer choice for your child? Help your little one enjoy their favorite juice while minimizing their risk of cavities by:
- Diluting the juice with water to lessen the sugar concentration
- Encouraging your child to drink through a straw, which limits how much juice comes in contact with the teeth
- Limiting your child’s intake of juice to the levels recommended by the AAP
- Giving your child more calcium-rich drinks to help keep their teeth strong, such as lowfat milk or almond milk.
- Having your child drink more tap water, which washes away lingering sugars and is often fortified with fluoride to help prevent cavities.
Juice can be a delicious and nutritious beverage for your child if you take the right precautions. Try using the above information to keep your little one happy, hydrated, and cavity-free!
About the Practice
Our talented and friendly team here at Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics is dedicated to helping the smiles of Randolph grow up strong and healthy. We love to work closely with children and help them develop the healthy oral hygiene habits they need to keep cavities and other issues at bay for life! With our personalized approach for every family, you can count on us to provide the gentle and effective dental care they need. To learn more, we can be contacted online or at (603) 635-1166.