What Could Juice Do to Your Child’s Teeth?

If you’re a parent, you’re probably well aware of the fact that preventing cavities is a daily challenge. Tooth decay is the most common chronic condition among children, 5 times more common than asthma and 20 times more so than diabetes.

In an effort to fight cavities, most parents restrict the amount of soda and sweets that their child gets. However, juice is something that most parents freely give their child, when the fact is that this drink can be problematic in its own right. Here’s what juice could potentially do to your child’s teeth, and drinks that might be healthier alternatives.

Can Juice Cause Problems for My Child’s Teeth?

Again, most parents are well aware of the fact that soda can cause serious problems for their child’s teeth. However, many of the most common juices can also contribute to oral health issues.

For one, many of them are packed with sugar. These sugars cling to the teeth and feed the bacteria that live there, allowing them to secrete acids that slowly erode the enamel. However, the dangers don’t stop there—many kinds of fruit juice are also acidic in themselves, which further contributes to cavities.

There’s also the problem of discoloration. Fruit juices, especially artificial ones, often contain pigments that can darken the enamel if consumed in excess.

All of these factors—the sugar, the acidity, and the discoloration—also apply to soda. As it turns out, these drinks are more similar than you might think. If you’re going to avoid one, you might also want to steer clear of the other!

What to Have your Child Drink Instead

 Of course, there’s also the fact that fruit juice contains vitamins and minerals in a package that children are likely to enjoy. You might not want to cut it out of your child’s diet entirely, but you should be sure that your child is drinking 100% pure fruit juice. These are usually lower in sugar and are overall better for the teeth.

Milk is also rich in vitamins and nutrients, and water is of course an important source of hydration. These alternatives will be much better for your child and drastically improve their oral health in general.

About the Author

Dr. Ramu Vuppala has been in dentistry for two decades, and even after all this time he has a strong passion for helping kids get healthy, beautiful smiles. He knows that every patient is different, so he always makes sure to pick treatments perfectly suited to them. Dr. Vuppala received his dental degree from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and he is currently a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

If you have any questions about how you can protect your child’s teeth, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (432) 520-5437.