There are so many different things you need to keep track of as parents that sometimes you overlook something important. Dental hygiene is necessary to instill at a young age, but even good brushing habits can be flummoxed by some common foods and drinks kids consume. To prevent tooth decay and multiple visits to pediatric dentists, try to teach your children about the perils of the following tasty treats.

1. Energy Drinks
   While sports drinks are not great for your health, they pale in comparison to carbonated energy drinks. While these drinks may give you wings, they also result in significantly more enamel loss than sports beverages. In fact, energy drinks cause 3.1% enamel loss compared to 1.5% in sports drinks.
2. Sour Candy
   No surprises here, but the reason sour candies are so harmful is actually rather illuminating. There are numerous acids that go into creating the flavor in these candies, but they also can get stuck to your kid’s teeth, prolonging the exposure.
3. Citrus
   Orange juice is generally good for you and definitely delicious, but the citric acid content is high, so moderate your kid’s intake. Just because citrus can decay enamel, it doesn’t mean you should give up OJ altogether, but consider buying it as an occasional special treat instead.
4. Potato Chips
   Kids dentists aren’t the only people that will say to avoid potato chips, but the high starch content breaks down into complex sugars, something to be avoided if the goal is having healthy teeth.
5. Ice
   Who doesn’t like chewing on ice cubes? It’s certainly a refreshing way to cool down in the summer, but ice is really hard. Chewing on it can cause chipped teeth, loosened crowns, and a number of dental emergencies. Kids dentists see teeth that have been damaged by ice all too often.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to help your children make the best decisions for their health. This includes proper brushing habits, regular exercise, and moderating potentially harmful food intake. To help your children develop the best dental hygiene habits, talk to your kids dentist today about better food options.