We all want our kids to live their healthiest life, which is why we teach them from a young age to eat their greens and get active.
While some gobble down whatever is put in front of them without a fuss, for others, getting the good stuff into our children’s little bodies can prove a tad more challenging. And if this is the case, it may make sense to turn to child-friendly vitamin supplements, right?
Wrong. New data brought to light by The Conversation has shown worrying links between the favoured “gummies” and shocking dental decay in adolescents.
As the publication points out, ingredients are usually listed as vitamins and minerals, with some including omega-3 fats and vegetable powders.
Rarely do they list additives such as food acids, citric acid, lactic acid and ascorbic acid, not to mention the high sugar content responsible for giving the gummies their moreish flavour.
Sydney general dentist of more than 35 years, Dr. J Lewin, says these ingredients are causing irreparable damage to your kid’s teeth.
“I have seen the distressing increase in decay in children as young as 2 years old. Very often a child’s first dental visit involves having to undergo a general anaesthetic to complete multiple fillings, root canal fillings and stainless steel crowns,” she says, adding that these treatments are expensive for the parent and traumatic for the child.
“The amount of food acids and sugar that are hidden in processed food and drinks is the direct cause of this. In my opinion, children’s gummie vitamins are a gimmick designed to make parents think they are providing nutrients for little ones, but may really just be encouraging a taste for sweet things and empty calories, and lead to life-long dental issues.”
Dr. Lewin suggests we instead give our kids fresh fruits and vegetables, and replace fruit juices with tap water or whole milk.
Healthy doesn’t have to mean kale! Try this nutritious apricot and almond muesli slice in your kids’ lunchbox.
In 2014-15, $9.5 billion was spent on dental services in Australia. This shocking figure supersedes the $6.1 billion spent in 2007-08 greatly.
Around 50 per cent of children will begin primary school with untreated cavities.
In Victoria alone, 7.1 per cent of children under 12 will have had a general anaesthetic for dental treatment.
