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SALT LAKE CITY — Squeezable snacks have become a popular and convenient way for busy parents to feed their children. But experts say they might be rotting your kids' teeth.
In recent years, several companies across the United States have begun to sell pureed fruits in squeezable pouches. These squeezable snacks look healthy, and they're convenient for parents' busy lives.
Natalie Chavez is a working Utah mom with four kids and one on the way, so time is of the essence. She said she loves the squeezable snacks.
"(They're a) fast meal, easy going, and my kids love them," Chavez said.
But in a recent report from the New York Daily News, dentists said the problem with these products lies in their sugar content and consumption method.
"Because it doesn't come with the fiber from the whole apple, what you're actually getting comes really distilled down as sugars, a little bit of other stuff, and that's all," said Dr. Mark S. Wolf, of the New York University College of Dentistry.
Many different types of food can cause tooth decay in children, not just candy. Some of the culprits include:
- foods high in carbohydrates
- some fruits
- juices and sodas
- peanut butter
- crackers and potato chips
Factors that cause tooth decay include the frequency in which the foods are eaten and the time they remain as particles in the mouth.
Source: knowyourteeth.com
Unless you rinse your child's mouth out with water once he or she is done eating, the sugar can linger on the teeth and contribute to tooth decay, Wolf said.
Dr. Jeffery Rupp, a dentist at Salt Lake Pediatric Dentistry, agreed. He said the problem with most foods, in fact, is the way their consumed. Take apple juice, for example; it's acidic and hard on kids' teeth.
"However, a child who drinks a glass of juice, it's a short-lived experience and it doesn't normally cause problems with the teeth," Rupp said. "A child who drinks the same amount of apple juice out of a sippy cup, over a prolonged period throughout the day, this causes enamel erosion of the teeth."
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's 2012 guidelines recommend kids have no more than 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice a day from a cup — not a bottle or covered cup.
"We see kids every day, younger than 2, that get cavities," Rupp said. "We encourage parents to start brushing teeth as soon as they come in."
Some parents might think it's better to avoid snacks with added sugars and other artificial additives.
"Equally important to hygiene is diet," said Rupp. "Diet has been known to cause and also prevent cavities. This can happen at a very young age."
Dr. Rupp explained that parents should also be concerned with the prolonged exposure of sugar (natural or artificial) and bacteria to children's small developing teeth because that's what can lead to tooth decay.
"Naturally occurring sugars can also cause problems with teeth," said Rupp, "if the delivery method is slow and the frequency is high."
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Dr. Rupp explained that in the past, dental hygiene professionals warned parents about allowing their children to fall asleep with a bottle in their mouths.
"If a child was put to bed with juice or drink out of a bottle at bedtime, then they would get on occasion what was called ‘baby bottle rot,'" Rupp said.
Now dental professionals call this type of tooth decay early childhood "carries" — a technical term for cavities.
"This can happen when plaque builds upon the teeth, which is produced by naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth." said Rupp "It produces an acid that then gradually erodes the enamel of our teeth, producing a cavity."
Dentists like Rupp recommend parents bring their children to a dentist six months after their first set of teeth develop and help children learn proper dental hygiene early.
"We encourage parents to start brushing teeth as soon as they come in," said Rupp.
Rather than buying squeezable snacks, Rupp recommends parents mash up their children's food and spoon feed it to them so the sugar does not sit on their teeth.
"It takes away the convenience, but it also increases the likelihood of having a healthy mouth," he said.
Rather than buying the squeezable snacks, Rupp recommends parents mash up their children's food and spoon feed it to them so the sugar does not sit on their teeth.
"It takes away the convenience, but it also increases the likelihood of having a healthy mouth," he said.
Contributing: Jordan Ormond
