Mom Learns 5-Year-Old Son's Tooth Decay Is Due To Dried Fruit
A mom assumed her son had inherited a “genetic dental problem” when she unexpectedly learned that dentists would have to remove one of the little boy’s teeth due to tooth decay.
She doesn’t allow her 5-year-old son Stan to drink soda or fruit juice, or to eat a lot of candy. Because of this, she was shocked to hear that the problem with her son’s teeth could have been avoided and was likely the result of something she had been letting Stan consume.
She was told by her dentist that the likely culprit for her son’s tooth decay was dried fruit. Not knowing that dried fruit can be as detrimental to teeth as candy.
Although the nutrient content in dried fruit is high due to reduced water content, the sticky sugars of the food can cause problems, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation. Dental issues arise when those sticky sugars of dried fruits such as raisins, dried apricots, dried mangos, etc., are left behind on the teeth.
Thus, these seemingly-healthy snacks stick to the teeth longer and can cause damage. Better to give them fresh fruit instead.