Reasons to Keep Acidic Drinks Away From Children

Soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks are warned away from parents because of the negative effects on their children’s teeth. These drinks are high in acidity and contribute to what is irreversible damage. It is estimated that damage is done within the first 30 seconds of drinking these beverage. When you combine the acidity of these drinks with nighttime tooth grinding that is common of children along with reflux, you get permanent damage to the teeth.

Dental erosion is often only noted after the damage has been done and the teeth are significantly eroded. This leads to a lifetime of poor oral health and might never be fixed. The results are costly procedures and an inability to have a bright smile throughout adulthood. Researches claim the increase in tooth erosion could be caused by the consumption of these highly acidic beverages. The acids don’t seem harmful at first but can actually be damaging even in small amounts.

One researcher urges parents to minimize their children’s consumption of any soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices, or acidic foods. If high acidity drinks are consumed, it is not simply a matter of having a child clean their teeth an hour or 30 minutes later and hoping they’ll be okay — the damage is already done. Dentists recommend children eat fresh fruits rather than drink the acidic juices. Though the fruits are also naturally acidic, they are healthier than the drink options which can have additional acids placed in them. Keeping your children’s mouths balanced in terms of acids is important because if children consume too many acids they have irreversible damage that can cause health effects decades down the road. To learn more about protecting your children, call the dentists at Greenspoint today.