Laguna Niguel Ca pediatric dentist helps parents rethink "healthy" food, drink options to avoid decay

You may have curbed your child's consumption of sugary sodas and sweets, opting instead for "healthier" food and drink. Sports drinks, fruit juices, and sugar-free foods and drinks may be your new choices. These products are associated with active, healthy lifestyles; however, the truth of these products is they may actually contain more sugars and acids than the soda and other products you are now avoiding.

Sports drinks

Researchers have found irreversible damage to enamel from sports and energy drinks occurs in as little as five days. Enamel erosion can make teeth more sensitive, and at greater risk for cavities, decay, and tooth loss. While the amount of sugars varies from brand to brand, generally these types of beverages are highly acidic and contain more sugar than you probably think.

In addition, the effects of these drinks are made worse by the fact that kids are consuming them while working out to stay hydrated. Hydration is a good thing, but what's not so good is during workouts saliva production is impaired. Saliva helps to cleanse the teeth and remove sugars responsible for decay. When this natural process is impeded, it can put teeth at greater risk. Water or water alternating with sports drinks for endurance activities may be a better choice.

Fruit juices

If you think that juice is a healthier option for your kids – read the labels! It may come as a surprise the sheer number of products marketed as "juice" that contain negligible amounts of actual fruit. If the sweet taste of the drink isn't coming from fruit, it is coming from sugars.

Look for "100 percent fruit juice" or consider squeezing and juicing your own fruits at home to avoid the same types of problems associated with soda, sports, and energy drinks. Better yet, eat your fruit instead of juicing it to get the most nutritional benefit and minimize harmful effects to teeth. Keep in mind citrus fruits such as oranges, lime and lemons are more acidic, so rinsing with water and brushing afterward is helpful.

Sugar substitutes

It's true that some sugar stand-ins are not digested the same way as real sugar and, in turn, don't feed mouth bacteria to produce damaging acids. However, some sugar substitutes can be just as damaging to the teeth. Watch out for sweeteners such as rice syrup, molasses, and evaporated cane sugar. Any words ending in "ose" (like "fructose") often indicate the presence of natural sweeteners in the food or drink, so this can be a red flag.

Of course, at-home habits are only part of the equation. Finding a pediatric dentist you can trust in Laguna Niguel and maintaining regular check-ups and professional cleanings promotes good oral health and catches early signs of decay before they become big problems. By scheduling an appointment at Basti Dental Care, the dentists and professional staff can make recommendations that help guide you to mouth-healthy choices when you're not at the dentist's office.