3 Reasons You May Want to Replace Your Child's Sippy Cup

Sippy cups are a great way of introducing water in your infant's diet, helping them transition smoothly from the baby bottle or exclusive breastfeeding. Many parents are delighted with the convenience of giving liquids in a sippy cup. Not only that children usually accept them quickly, but they also don't spill easily. Not to mention, sippy cups look cute and colorful.


But, according to dentists, this type of cups should come with a warning sign. They can cause so much damage to your child's oral health that you should reconsider the way you use it.


Sippy Cups and the Extensive Damage They Can Cause

Several ways of using the sippy cup can lead to extensive damages, warn St. Louis pediatric dentists. To make matter worse, parents usually combine these methods, unaware of the dangers sippy cups pose to their kids’ oral health. Most of them are surprised when they find out that the benign cup is to blame for cavities or crooked teeth.

Here's how you may be damaging your little one's oral health.


Offering Sugary Drinks in a Sippy Cup

Sugar is the biggest cause of tooth decay in infants. First of all, you should postpone giving sugar to your kid as much as possible, as it causes a broad array of troubles besides tooth decay. Water and unsweetened milk are perfectly fine for a young child.


Giving Unlimited Access to the Bottle

Many parents consider fruit juice to be healthier and more nutritious than water. So, they offer it throughout the day, often in a sippy cup. While dentists and pediatricians alike recommend giving your child water throughout the day, things are a bit different when it comes to fruit juice or other sugary drinks.

When drinking from a sippy cup, the child's front upper teeth are soaked in the liquid they are drinking. Doing that multiple times a day with a juice that has sugar and/or acids in it, you are exposing your baby's teeth to decay and infections. Don't dismiss any problems that might appear at an early age thinking that your kid's teeth are only temporary. Baby teeth are not just crucial for helping your child eat and speak, but they also ensure that when the permanent teeth emerge, they will be aligned correctly.


Postponing Your Kid's Oral Hygiene

Keeping a toddler happy is not an easy job. And when it comes to scary or uncomfortable situations, parents try to postpone those problematic moments as long as possible. No wonder the dentist is one of the last places you would take your toddler to just for the sake of it.

But starting the visits to your St. Louis pediatric dentist very early can make a big difference in your child's long-term dental health. Getting them used to sit comfortably in the dentist's chair and accept routine checks and treatment can prevent numerous problems.

As for the sippy cup, if you recognize a pattern that might be problematic for your toddler's teeth, you can change that right away. Sippy cups are only meant to be used when transitioning to regular cups.

Let your toddler practice with regular cups or cups that have another drinking system, like straws. Offering water instead of juice is also crucial in preventing a wide range of disease. Offering fruits as they are is more beneficial to your child's health.