Boise Dentist Blog
The professional blog of Doctors Dan Bruce, Steve Bruce, Rosa Pothier and Rob Ririe
Juice and Tooth Decay
There are a lot of beverage options available and some are better for your dental health than others. The link between sugary drinks like soda and dental caries is well established, but what about other drinks such as 100% juice? While 100% juice contains no added sugar, it does have a lot of natural sugar. However, data from a new study from the American Dental Association suggests that drinking 100% juice does not lead to tooth decay.
The study included data from 2,300 children between the ages 2 and 5. Overall, the researchers found no link between drinking 100% juice and having dental caries. Even the children who drank more than 6 ounces of juice per day were no more likely to have cavities. There are several reasons this finding could be possible. First, the lack of dental caries is more closely related to fluoride use than to avoiding sugar. Second, parents who are likely to give their children 100% juice may be more health conscious in general. Lastly, there may be antimicrobial components in 100% juice that help to inhibit caries development.
Overall, parents can feel good about giving their children 100% juice to drink in moderation (the recommended amount is 4 to 6 oz. per day). It is full of vitamins and will not adversely affect their oral health!