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Many children love to drink soda and other sugary beverages. At Pediatric Dentistry South, we recommend that you limit or eliminate sugary drinks from your child’s diet. Sugary drinks are linked to a number of oral health problems, as well as several other health issues, including obesity and bone weakening. Studies have proven that carbonated beverages and sports drinks can cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel, and can even lead to severe tooth decay and gum disease.
Dental enamel is the outer layer of your teeth, and it protects your teeth from problems such as tooth decay. When your child’s teeth are exposed to sweetened beverages, such as energy and sports drinks, soda, lemonade, and iced tea, their tooth enamel breaks down and causes significant damage to the tooth.
This erosion of tooth enamel leads to:
- Increased sensitivity
- Tooth pain
- Tooth decay
- Nerve infection
Our experienced pediatric dentists recommend that you provide your child with water or low-fat milk when thirsty to help protect their tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay. When they want to drink soda or other sugary beverages, they should do so with a full meal and should brush and floss soon afterward. If they want to drink a sugary or carbonated beverage without eating, we recommend that they chew sugarless gum afterward to increase their saliva flow and more effectively clear harmful substances from the mouth.
To learn more about the effects of sugary beverages and how you can help your child avoid developing dental problems, please contact our office at 412-257-1150. We will be happy to provide you with additional information and schedule your child’s appointment with Dr. Courtney Uselton and associates at one of our conveniently located offices in Pittsburgh and McMurray, Pennsylvania.
