By Dr. Carol Lybrook

Editor’s Note: The author, Dr. Carol Lybrook, along with husband Dr. Scott Lybrook, operate Lybrook Dental Center in Fruita.

With the 2010-2011 school year upon us, dentists across the Grand Valley are advising parents to encourage healthier drinking and snacking.

According to the American Dental Association, more and more children are consuming large amounts of soft drinks that could increase their risk for obesity and dental disease. As dentists, we are recommending that parents urge children to consume nutritious drinks in school and at home.

Children age 6 to 19 consume significantly more ounces of soft drinks each day than milk or juice. Teenage boys and girls are drinking twice as much soft drink as milk and one-third of teenage boys drink at least three cans a day. Consumption of milk, the principle source of calcium in the typical American diet, decreases as soft drinks become a favorite choice for children.

When teeth come in frequent contact with sweetened soft drinks and other sugar-containing substances, the risk of tooth decay, which is the most common childhood disease, is increased as is the potential for erosion of tooth enamel.

The beverages we recommend for good oral health include:

• Fruit Juice with No Sweeteners
• Low-Fat and Non-Fat White or Flavored Milk
• Vegetable Juice
• Water

In promoting good health, parents are also encouraged to make dental exams a regular part of the back-to-school routine, including completion of all health examinations and necessary immunizations in time for the new school year.  Seeing the dentist isn’t the only step to keeping your children’s teeth healthy through the school year:

• Have kids brush their teeth at least twice a day.
• Kids should floss at least once a day.
• Limit sugar intake and provide healthier snacks less often.
• Talk to your dentist about whether your child should have dental sealants.

To learn more about a healthier, smarter 2010-2011 school year, visit with your dentist today and take action for healthier lifestyles for our students.