What has long been suspected has been confirmed: Sugary drinks given to infants and toddlers adversely affect their developing teeth.
A recent study, conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center, found honey, cola and sugar water – drinks often given to babies in the bottle – caused a very high incidence of tooth decay in developing teeth.
Dr. Robert Pastore, a clinical nutritionist from New York, N.Y., says what you give your infants will affect them for years to come. “Sugar, cola and honey break down the enamel on many levels,” says Dr. Pastore. “They are very acidic, which feeds bacteria in the mouth that breaks down the enamel. There are studies which have shown that high sugar intake results in the permanent teeth being very weak. It doesn’t just affect the baby teeth but the adult teeth as well.”