Juice is number One Cause of Cavities
You may not know that juice is the number one cause of cavities seen amongst kids dental offices.
Your child’s baby teeth are vital to a lifetime of happy smiles and healthy eating. So how do you protect that toothy grin for the future? Even if you brush your little one’s teeth twice a day (and floss at night), plenty of sipping and snacking go on in between.
To keep his teeth in tip-top shape, you’ll need to be aware of the food and drink items that are as good for his teeth as it is for his body.
Want to keep your child’s teeth shiny, bright, and cavity-free?
To keep his teeth in tip-top shape, you’ll need to be aware of the food and drink items that are as good for his teeth as it is for his body.
Juice is high in sugar and is probably the leading cause of cavities that we see in our office. Even if watered down, frequent consumption of juice can still cause cavities.
We recommend that children only have one small 6 oz cup of juice a day if any at all. Juice should be consumed with meals only to help buffer the sugar intake. During snacks we recommend water or white milk only.
Even if children are sipping on watered down juice throughout the day the frequency of sugar consumption is way too much. They are getting less total sugar but are constantly bathing their teeth with sugar.
It is also very important that children are not allowed to drink juice (or any drink besides water) after they have brushed their teeth at night and most importantly are not allowed to sleep with a bottle or sippy cup containing juice (or any drink other than water).
When serving up juice, dilute it half and half with water, and for children over 3 years old serve no more than 4 to 6 ounces a day.
So what is it about juice that makes it such a hidden danger for children’s teeth?
To start, juice contains a lot of sugar! One 6 oz reduced sugar apple juice box has 13 grams of sugar (kids should only have 20-40 grams of added sugar depending on age and activity level). An 8 oz serving of apple juice contains 26 grams of sugar.
These amounts of sugar aren’t that different than what you find in a similar portion of Coca-Cola (39 grams in a 12 oz can). The bacteria in the mouth use this sugar as a fuel source for creating acid that eats away at teeth and can ultimately cause cavities.
In addition to having a lot of sugar, juice is also acidic. Apple juice has a pH ranging from 3.5-4 which is very similar to many soft drinks. The acidity of juice can erode the enamel on teeth which can lead to cavity formation.
To learn more about dietary guidelines about sugar click here.
Adding more protection!
When serving up juice, dilute it half and half with water, and serve no more than 4 to 6 ounces a day. Serve juice only with meals to cut down on tooth enamel wear and tear, and limit on-the-go sippy use to just water.
Also consider swapping the sippy for a cup with a straw. Instead of encouraging fluids to pool in the mouth, a straw sends them on the fast track to being swallowed, so teeth are largely bypassed and protected.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us