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When it comes to quenching their thirst, a recent study has found that children drink as much as 30 gallons of sugary beverages a year. That’s a lot of Kool-Aid, Coke, and Gatorade—enough to fill a bathtub! And it’s a lot of sugar, too. Besides increasing the risks of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, do sugary drinks affect your teeth? Penn Dental Medicine explains what you should know about the connection between sugar and rotten teeth and how to keep your children safe from sugar’s less-sweet side effects.
Sugary drinks provide hydration along with a quick source of energy. Two-thirds of children ages 2 to 18 years drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day. However, the sugar that makes these beverages so tasty is a leading cause of tooth decay in children.
When sugar enters the mouth through these drinks, it interacts with bacteria and turns into acid. Over time, repeated exposure to that acid will wear away at tooth enamel, leaving holes and weak spots that can turn into cavities or infections.
But it’s not just the sugar in these beverages that has oral health implications. Another important factor to consider is the acidic nature of many sugary drinks. Soft drinks and sports beverages often contain citric acid and phosphoric acid, which can also exacerbate enamel erosion. This double whammy—high sugar content and acidity—creates a perfect storm for your child’s oral health.
Children may find that their teeth hurt when they drink sugary beverages. This is because teeth become more sensitive when enamel wears away.
Or is sugar-free Kool-Aid bad for your teeth? The answer is yes, which also goes for sugar-free flavored water. Whether it’s sugar-free or not, citric acids are often used to flavor beverages, and as mentioned above, they can erode enamel and result in tooth decay.
At Penn Dental Medicine, we can help keep your child’s smile sweet and healthy with the latest dental techniques and patient care that’s designed to make even our littlest patients comfortable. Make fears of sugar and rotten teeth disappear. Call 215-898-8965 or complete this form to schedule an appointment.