What Beverages Can Damage My Child’s Teeth?

At State Street Smiles, Dr. Edward Jackson and our friendly team not only monitor the development and growth of your child’s smile to keep them healthy, but we also understand the importance of educating our young patients and parents. While finding a trusted pediatric dentist “near me” in Hackensack, New Jersey, is important, the reality is that you will be primarily responsible for the health of your child’s mouth and smile. 

One important task you have complete control over is the foods and drinks you provide for your children. Knowing which drinks may damage their smiles will help you make the best choices for your child so their tooth enamel remains healthy and strong. Let’s learn more about enamel and how certain beverages can jeopardize your child’s oral health.

What Is Tooth Enamel?

Enamel is the strongest substance in the human body. Tooth enamel makes up the outer surface of a tooth. It serves as a protective barrier to the inner layers of the tooth. While enamel may be incredibly strong, bacteria and acids are even stronger. They can eat into the enamel, causing it to deteriorate over time.

Many of these harmful acids come from the beverages we drink. Because liquids can easily coat teeth, making sure your child is consuming the right fluids is vital for prolonged oral health. 

Here is a short list of liquids (and some foods) which can lead to enamel damage:

• Fruit juices
• Sports drinks
• Energy drinks
• Soda
• Citrus and berries
• Vinegar
• Sour candy

Can Enamel Regenerate?

Enamel does not contain living cells. Because of this, it will not fix itself or regenerate. While you cannot repair damaged enamel, you can help your teeth remineralize. Remineralization takes place when you replenish the minerals within your enamel. This will help recover lost protection. 

You can help remineralize your teeth by eating foods rich in calcium, like cheese and milk. Foods with phosphates, such as eggs, nuts, and lean meats, can also provide minerals to your teeth for increased strength. Fluoride is another substance that helps to reinforce the minerals within a tooth’s enamel. This is why making sure your child brushes with fluoride toothpaste is so important.

How Can You Help Strengthen Your Child’s Enamel?

Here are some tips that can help your child strengthen their tooth enamel.

1. Avoid brushing immediately following drinking an acidic drink

When your child drinks something acidic, they should wait at least 30 minutes before brushing their teeth. Because these drinks can weaken tooth enamel, brushing too soon can actually damage the weakened enamel.

2. Rinse with water

A good practice to teach your children is to rinse with water after drinking or eating something acidic or sugary. Simply swish cool water around the mouth so that any sugars or acids can unstick from their teeth to prevent prolonged damage.

3. Don’t skip visits to the dentist

Your local pediatric dentist is here to help your children maintain healthy, beautiful teeth. During a regularly scheduled checkup, your child will undergo an oral examination and have their teeth cleaned. Your child’s dentist will also be able to provide you and your child with tips to protect their teeth’s enamel.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jackson and the team at State Street Smiles, please call (201) 389-2183 today.

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