Be Careful Little Smiles What You Drink

Posted September 1, 2016

Now that the school year has official begun, chances are your family is rushing from classes to extracurricular activities, and a host of other events that will keep you busy and out of the house during much of the day. But before you resort to lots of unhealthy options to keep your family fed, during these hectic fall months, remember the role your dietary choices play in both your overall wellbeing and your dental health! What you drink matters as much as what you eat, when it comes to your oral health, so be mindful of what your kids are drinking.

Water Is Essential for Good Oral Health

One of the most important things you can do to protect your kids’ oral health in between dental checkups, is simply encourage them to drink lots of water. Water is an essential to healthy smiles, because it can help gently rinse food particles and bacteria from the surface of the teeth, between brushings. But water also helps you produce saliva, which is a natural defense against plaque buildup, since it makes it harder for the plaque bacteria to stick to the surface of the teeth.

Avoid Sugary Beverages, and That Doesn’t Mean Just Sodas

Another important step in protecting their oral health is to limit how many sugary or acidic beverages they drink. While sodas are certainly problematic, from a dental health standpoint, they are not the only culprits behind cavity development.

Many juices are also high in sugar. Even flavored milks can be surprisingly high in sugar content, which is problematic for smiles. Read the labels of your kids’ favorite drinks, the next time you’re at the store, and shy away from items, which list sugar or another form of sweetener as one of the first ingredients.