Is Fruit Juice a Healthy Drink for Children?

This may come as a surprise to some parents: fruit juice isn’t the healthiest choice for your child. Unlike whole fruits, it lacks fibre and can contribute to excessive sugar intake. It’s much better for your child to eat fresh fruit and make water their go-to drink. Encouraging water as the default option helps build a healthy habit that benefits their teeth and overall well-being.

Related: Early Childhood Nutrition

How Do Sugary Drinks Affect Your Child’s Teeth?

Drinking too much fruit juice or sugary drinks can cause tooth decay. Even though baby teeth are replaced by adult teeth, they are important for eating, talking, and helping adult teeth grow in the right place. Children usually only lose their baby molars around the age of 10—and sometimes even later. If baby teeth get serious decay and are not treated, it can be painful and might also harm the adult teeth growing underneath.

What Can You Do to Prevent Tooth Decay in Children?

Exercise good dental care for your child to prevent tooth decay and to ensure that your child has a beautiful smile for life!

Do's and Don'ts

  • Be mindful of sugary drinks: It’s tempting to give your little one juice or other sugary drinks in a sippy cup or bottle, but these sugary beverages can harm their teeth when consumed frequently throughout the day. Try to keep these drinks as occasional treats rather than everyday choices, and serve them in an open cup during mealtimes. This helps reduce the risk of prolonged exposure to sugar and encourages your child to transition to using a cup.

  • Encourage water as the go-to drink: By the time your child turns 1, start offering water whenever they’re thirsty. If your little one is still relying on formula milk, try to avoid offering it on demand as its natural sweetness can contribute to tooth decay.

  • Transition to full-cream milk after 1 year: Formula milk is sweet and can impact dental health when consumed frequently. Switching to full-cream milk at 1 year old provides a less sugary alternative while still supporting healthy growth.

  • Protect teeth at bedtime: We understand how comforting a bedtime bottle can be, but sugary drinks like formula milk or juice, especially at this time, can harm your child’s teeth. Always brush their teeth after their last feed or milk, before bed, to keep decay at bay.

  • Help fussy drinkers make the switch: If your child is used to juice, formula, or other sugary drinks and struggles to let go of them, take it slow. Gradually reduce the amount of these drinks by diluting them with water—start with a small amount at first, like 10-20% water. Gradually increase the water over time until they are drinking mostly water. This can help your child adjust without feeling like they’re losing their favourite drink too suddenly. 

By choosing the right drinks for your child, you’re helping them build healthy habits that will support their oral health and overall health as they grow!

 

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References

  1. Sippy Cup Do's and Don'ts. Retrieved November 2018 from https://www.babycenter.com/0_sippy-cup-dos-and-donts_1439508.bc