Pediatric Dentists Urge Parents: Use Only Water in Sippy Cups
Sippy cups make life so much easier for parents but Dentists warn: Their use can negatively affect your child’s dental health.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized leader in children’s oral health, recently shared guidelines for parents on the appropriate use of sippy cups as part of its effort to prevent cavities in young children.
“Sippy cups were created to help children transition from a bottle to drinking from a regular cup, but they’re too often used for convenience because they reduce spills,” says AAPD President Philip H. Hunke, D.D.S., M.S.D. “When kids sip sugared beverages for extended periods, they are exposed to a higher risk of decay.”
Even in the earliest stages of life, tooth decay can have serious implications for a child’s long-term health and well-being – and it’s becoming a more pressing issue every day. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) comparing the dental health of Americans in 1988-1994 and 1999-2002 found a 15.2 percent increase in cavities among two- to five-year olds. Additional research has shown that nearly one-third of toddlers with tooth-decay problems used sippy cups.
AAPD Sippy Cup Tips
The AAPD recommends that parents adhere to the following recommendations to help reduce the risk of cavities in children:
-The sippy cup is designed to be a training tool to help children transition from a bottle to a cup. It should not be used for a long period of time. The sippy cup is not a bottle and it is not a pacifier.
-Unless being used at mealtime, the sippy cup should be filled ONLY with WATER.
-Frequent drinking of any other liquid, even if diluted, from a bottle or no-spill training cup should be avoided.
-Sippy cups should not be used at naptime or bedtime unless they have only water in them.
“Keeping only water in the sippy cup outside of mealtime helps prevent the development of unhealthy ‘grazing’ habits,” said Dr. Hunke. “It also helps guard against cavities.”
For more information about how to keep children’s teeth healthy, visit AAPD.org.
Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is the non-profit membership organization representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry.