Now that all the little ones are heading back to school for a brand new year, our team at Bell & Bell Dentistry want to help Frankfort families maintain healthy teeth and gums.

For starters, remember that milk and water are the most beneficial to your child’s dental health, which you’ll want to keep in mind when filling their lunchbox for school.

Don’t Pack These Drinks In Your Child’s Lunchbox!

Here are four types of drinks you definitely want to avoid:

*Soda*

Everyone’s favorite go-to drink, soda, is unfortunately one of the worst choices for your child’s dental health.

Extremely heavy on the sugar, soft drinks lead to tooth decay and cavities. But that doesn’t mean diet soda is a better choice!

Whether it’s sugar-free or not, all sodas are incredibly acidic and harmful to your tooth enamel. The acids erode that protective layer and allow bacteria into the most vulnerable parts of your teeth.

*Juice*

Fruit juices may be the most popular lunchbox beverage of choice for kids in all grades across the board. But even the ones that claim to be “all natural” or “healthy” alternatives to regular juice and soda are still packed with extra sugar and acids that wear away tooth enamel and cause cavities.

*Sports Drinks*

The sports beverage industry really does have parents and kids wrapped around their profit-hungry fingers, going out of their way to advertise their drinks as something your favorite little athletes not only love, but actually need, if they’re to stay well-hydrated.

This is, of course, misleading, given the added sugars and flavors in nearly all of these types of beverages. Sports and energy drinks are also highly acidic, which will only weaken your child’s teeth.

The best way for the athletes in your family to stay hydrated is with good, old-fashioned water! If they have early morning or after-school practices, make water the rule and sports drinks the infrequent exception!

*Flavored Coffees & Teas*

Designer coffee drinks and flavored teas are sort of a thing now, especially for school-age consumers.

If your child is old enough to drive to school or ride with friends, frequent stops at the local gas station or coffee shop for a morning jolt of caffeine could spell trouble for their teeth.

These types of drinks are loaded with sugar, which won’t just lead to a midday crash, but to a higher risk for tooth decay and cavities.

It’s best to keep bottled coffee and tea filled with added flavors out of their lunchbox and those popular designer beverages on the way to school and once-in-awhile treat only.

Visit Your Frankfort Family Dentist!

While you might welcome the structure and routine of a new school year, it can also mean you have less control over what your child eats and drinks during the day.

Help them form healthy dental habits by packing teeth-friendly drinks in their lunchbox this school year!

And also remember to visit your Frankfort family dentists at Bell & Bell Dentistry!

We’ll make sure your kids have healthy teeth and gums for a great smile and successful year.

To schedule your family’s next dental appointment in Frankfort, KY, call Bell & Bell Dentistry today at 502-783-6322 or fill out our convenient online form.