New Snack May be Harmful to Children’s Dental Health

Written by Dentistry TodayMonday, 04 February 2013 16:04



Fruit puree snacks may be a favorite for some children. But they could have a terrible impact on a child’s oral health.

Gerber Graduates Grabbers, Plum Organics, GoGo Squeez and Smashies are some of the snacks that dental experts are advising parents against giving to their children. The amount of sugar in the treats neutralizes any possible positive effects the snacks may have.

The products may be considered convenient baby food or a quick snack on the run. Some of them claim to be 100 percent organic without any added sugar.

But, in many cases, they come with plenty of sugar. Gerber’s organic apple puree, for example, possesses 11 grams of sugar. There’s no nutritional value to consuming that much sugar when considering the size of the portion.

One of the main problems with these snacks is that the sugar may linger on the teeth for an extended period of time—and possibly more if consumption is spaced throughout the day.

Some of the snacks even possess 20 grams of sugar, which may be more than some adults want to consume in an entire day.

If the snacks are consumed in moderation or while drinking large quantities of water, the person will only be impacted slightly, if at all.