Just two months ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that fruit juice offers no nutritional value for children 12 months and younger and should be eliminated from their diets. As you might suspect, this statement, the first one regarding juice recommendations since 2001 by the AAP, reflects current concerns over the rise of pediatric obesity — and concerns shared by Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Virginia about pediatric tooth decay.
“Human milk or infant formula is sufficient for infants, and low-fat/nonfat milk and water are sufficient for older children,” the AAP has found.
From a pediatric dental perspective, it also makes sense that toddlers not be given juice from bottles or sippy cups, which allow easy consumption of sugary juice over a period of hours. This practice can lead to what pediatric dentists call “baby bottle tooth decay.” As the AAP’s statement in Pediatrics announces, “The excessive exposure of the teeth to carbohydrates can lead to tooth decay,” so a bedtime juice drink should not be given to toddlers.
Parents traditionally have allowed babies to have juice, believing that fruit juice had some dietary value (although less than that of raw fruits). Referring to this belief, Melvin B. Heyman, MD, FAAP, the statement’s co-author, says, “Parents may perceive fruit juice as healthy, but it is not a good substitute for fresh fruit and just packs in more sugar and calories.”
Best Drinks for Your Child’s Oral Health
The AAP states that juice intake daily should be limited to the following:
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4 ounces daily for toddlers aged 1-3.
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4-6 ounces daily for children aged 4-6.
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8 ounces daily for children aged 7-18.
As pediatric dentists tell parents, it pays to read the label on what your child may ask to drink. Sports drinks are sugary, too; and if you read the sugar content even on vanilla or chocolate milk, you’ll see that children’s “vanilla milk” likely has as much sugar as a regular soda.
The most beneficial thing for your child’s teeth, to avoid scary possibilities such as multiple fillings at one visit or a root canal, is to stock the fridge with water and low-fat or skim milk. He or she will thank you for it later.
If you have a baby, another good thing to do is clean his or her gums gently with a clean, wet washcloth to remove milk or food particles after feedings, because even breast milk and formula contain sugar.
At Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Virginia, we are dedicated to continuing education so that we are able to apprise our pediatric patients’ parents of new guidelines and developments in pediatric dental care protocols.
Please contact us at (804) 739-0963 or request an appointment online if you have little ones needing back-to-school checkups or have further questions about pediatric oral hygiene.