Your child’s smile is so precious…
And while it’s no secret that sugar can wreak havoc on your little one’s overall health, it’s bad news for their pearly whites too. We checked in with our IQS expert dentists to get their advice on how best to protect their smile…
Dr Lewis Ehrlich explains that children who consume sugar, particularly sticky forms of the sweet stuff, are more susceptible to tooth decay. “Tooth decay occurs when acid in the mouth attacks the enamel and dentine, resulting in holes. Acid is produced by bacteria that live within plaque. When sugar is eaten, it interacts with the bacteria residing in plaque to produce damaging acid which degrades the tooth.”
Dr Steven Lin says that, “Added sugar in any food has the potential to shift our oral microbiome to a state of disease”.
So, let’s take a look at some of the common culprits…
1. Vitamins.
We’ve been on a crusade against kids’ lollies disguised as vitamins for a while. Some of these “vitamins” contain as much as 54 per cent sugar and the stickiness means they latch onto teeth for longer and kickstart tooth decay. That’s why we were happy to see Nature’s Way Vita Gummies were put in their place at this year’s CHOICE Shonky Awards – the judges even said that children typically don’t need daily vitamin support, making these types of products even more unnecessary.
2. Cough syrup.
Still on the medicinal train, cough syrup is another sneaky carrier of the sweet stuff! We previously found that a bottle of Robitussin contains 15 teaspoons of sugar per 100mls (and it still tastes gross!). While there are sugar-free versions on the market, be wary and check the ingredients as they can still contain artificial sweeteners.
3. Flavoured yoghurt.
Flavoured yoghurts are another killer, especially the ones marketed directly to kids. Some contain 15.5g of sugar per serve and that sugar hits the mouth first, lingering (sometimes all day) until you brush those pearly whites again. To avoid the nasties, we reach for full-fat natural or Greek yoghurt and add some berries for a kick of sweetness if needed – perfect for lunchboxes too.
4. Dried fruit.
Dr Lewis describes dried fruit as, “a perfect storm for tooth decay!” We’ve never been a fan of dried fruit, especially when we discovered raisins were nearly 60 per cent sugar. Eek!
Dr Steven says, “Chewy, sticky foods that have a high concentration of sugar take longer to chew and increase the exposure of sugar to the bacteria that can cause disease in the mouth.”
Dr Lewis backs this up saying, “These foods are likely to remain on the tooth for longer than non-sticky foods. This increases the duration of acid exposure and hence increases the likelihood of decay. This can result in invasive treatments in the dental chair creating negative dental experiences and setting up a pattern of dental avoidance.”
5. Muesli bars.
Many muesli bars contain dried fruit and use honey (or similar) as a binding agent. And so once again we’re met with those sticky, chewy sugars that linger in the mouth, resulting in decay. Try our Sugar-Free Granola Bars (swap out the nut butter for a seed butter if you wish!), or Dr Lewis recommends reaching for raw veggies instead.
“They’re not only sugar-free, but also harder to break down. The very act of chewing harder foods stimulates greater amounts of saliva which is important for neutralising acid, protecting the teeth and kickstarting effective digestion. Chewing harder foods also strengthens and promotes jaw growth which can result in more space for the tongue (improved breathing), whilst building strong, wide jaws. Our modern ‘soft’ diet has resulted in smaller and weaker jaws that are more susceptible to fractures, tooth crowding and breathing problems.”
Check out our 7-Day Reboot for a week’s worth of sugar-free meals and snacks, perfect for you and your little ones too!
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