Happy October!
If you are anything like me, you are counting down the days to Halloween. It may come as a shock since I’m a dentist, but what can I say? I LOVE candy. (My favorites come in the form of chocolate bars!)
Normally, I make it a point this time of year to stress the importance maintaining good dental hygiene to prevent damage to teeth (or dental gear) while enjoying extra treats. However, this year I wanted to make sure to bring awareness to a commonly overlooked culprit of tooth decay: sugary drinks. Whether your kiddos are trying to stay hydrated playing sports or just enjoy juice at home, you should definitely keep an eye on the labels if you want to keep their teeth healthy.
4 Kids Drinks That Have More Sugar Than Some of Their Halloween Candy
- #1: Vitamin Water – Drinks with the word “vitamin” in the name, aren’t always as healthy as they may let on. Before you grab your kiddos a Vitamin water, you should know that a regular 20 ounce bottle has 31 grams of sugar. For comparison, a regular size Snicker bar has only 27 grams.
- #2: Gatorade – Gatorade is another common go-to drink for kids who are active in sports. Unfortunately, they may not be the best choice for post-exercise rehydration either. While it can vary between flavors, a typical 20 ounce bottle of Gatorade averages 34 grams of sugar. Yikes.
- #3: Grape Juice – I often treat to tooth decay as a result of parents giving toddlers various “healthy” fruit juices at home. Grape juice contains more sugar than almost any other type of juice. A 12 ounce glass of grape juice contains more than 58 grams of sugar (20 grams more than a can of Coke!)
- #4: Lemonade – Ahh. One summertime favorite, Lemonade, is LOADED in sugar. A regular 20 ounce bottle has about 67 grams of sugar! (Gasp!)
Our entire staff wants all of our patients (young and old) to be able to enjoy some sugary treats not only during Halloween but year round (while being safe). Just make sure to brush teeth after meals, after eating all those yummy fall treats, AND after drinking sugary drinks to keep teeth and dental gear in great shape!
Do you think your kiddo may need braces? We can help!
Give our office a call at 770-457-3671 to schedule an exam after they enjoy holiday.