According to some authorities, the number one health problem for kids is tooth decay, i.e. rotting teeth.  While we are not aware of any formal research studies, that’s what we have read.  We think it pays to heed the advice on bottled drinks.

Sugary drinks
Kids drink a lot of sodas, colas and energy drinks.  Some say that the average teenager drinks 16 or more ounces a day.  Unfortunately, drinks with sugar in them are bad for your teeth and your body.  Look at the bottle’s ingredients, if there is any word ending in “ose” that means it is a form of sugar.  Also, watch out for the word syrup such as high fructose corn syrup.

How about “sugar free” drinks?
They are still bad for teeth because there is acid in them which eats up tooth enamel.  Also any sugar replacement will be a chemical product made by a business not by Ma Nature.  Man made sugar replacements are designed to taste sweet so you will drink them, but they aren’t designed to make you healthy.

What about fluoride?
Kathleen Roth, president of the American Dental Association, told ABC News medical editor Dr. Timothy Johnson, on ABC News Now’s “Healthy Life” program, that with more and more parents serving their children bottled water and fruit juices, children may be missing out on a source of fluoride in tap water that has traditionally kept kids’ teeth strong.

“We all know that fluoride is very important in stopping and preventing dental disease,” she said, adding that parents should be sure to check the labels of bottled water, because some products on the market now have added fluoride.

“Water with trace levels of fluoride in it has been shown to be one of the major reasons why children in this generation and the last generation have less decay than children 50 years ago.”

Ed:  A dentist traveled worldwide in the 1900’s to check the teeth of native societies.  Where the people had fresh natural water and traditional diets there were no dental problems.  They didn’t have fluoride, so is that the problem?  He found that among the Incas those that adopted “western” eating ways had tooth decay,   Those that didn’t, didn’t.

The bottom line

Here is another example of contrary evidence, which can only leave us confused.

Popularity: 2% [?]