Sugary Drinks, Cavities, and Kids: Preventing Tooth Decay

Kids Find Sugary Foods Everywhere!

Children today are consuming more sugar in their diet then ever before. Did you know the recommended amount of single service of juice for a toddler is 4 OZ? Many parents don’t realize this fact, and give their toddlers and young children juice with meals and snacks throughout the day. Amazingly enough, the amount of sugar from juice alone can add up to more then 20-30 teaspoons of sugar a day! This doesn’t even include the sugary snacks such as cereal, cookies and fruit snacks that are consumed at the same time.

Brushing Before Bed is Especially Important for Children

Brushing before bed is very important for all children, especially for children with a high-sugar diet. Many young kids still do not have the dexterity to brush well or may be rushing through the process. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that parents help their children with the nighttime brushing routine.

Do I Need to Floss my Child’s Teeth?

Ideally parents would floss their child’s teeth every day. However, when children have very few teeth and there are many open spaces in between the teeth, flossing is less crticial. However, once your child’s baby teeth start to erupt in place, flossing is a way to help prevent cavities in between the teeth – areas where the toothbrush can’t always reach.

If you have questions about healthy diets for your child, brushing or flossing, please don’t hesitate to contact us and come in and see Dr. Batra!