How bad is ICE CREAM for my kids' teeth?

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ICE CREAM is one of the most ancient desserts enjoyed as early as 2nd century BC. Some variety of ice cream can be found in almost all American freezers and the fight of which flavor or kind is the best is a conversation topic of many dinner parties! With today’s health trends and growing numbers in the obesity battle however, we often get questions on what desserts can actually be given to kids without harming their teeth.

We all know that having desserts once in a while

is unavoidable and

Heights Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics’

guide to desserts is simple:

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  1. Sticky, gooey things are a big NO-NO. Things such as gummies, fruit roll-ups, or sticky candy including toffee, caramel, or Skittles stick to the teeth and stay around for a long time not allowing saliva to recover proper health of your oral cavity.

  2. Acidic candy such as Sweet Tarts, Spree, Altoids, or gummy sour candy dissolve enamel of your teeth and cause a lot of damage in addition to being bad for the rest of your digestive system.

  3. Hard candy that stay in the mouth for a long time such as lollipops or jolly ranchers spend a lot of time exposing teeth to long time sugar and acid damage.

  4. BETTER CHOICES??? Things that are not acidic, not sticky, and that are in and out of the mouth in a short period of time. Sounds like ice-cream fits the description! ICE CREAM is milk based, which makes it not acidic and melts away from teeth in a short period of time. Ice cream is of course full of sugar so choosing frozen yogurt or other low sugar alternatives is best. Also watch for sensitivity to your teeth as the cold temperatures can make ice cream an uncomfortable treat for some. If eating ice-cream hurts your teeth, chose a room temperature snack instead. Enjoy your sweet treat in moderation and remember to brush and floss before going to bed!