Mother: Dried Fruit Caused My Son’s Tooth Decay

Claire Donnelly, a mom from the U.K., is fuming after a dentist said that her 5-year-old son, Stan, had serious tooth decay.

She doesn’t let her son drink soda or fruit juice or much candy at all. However, her dentist said that it was likely that sugars in dried fruit caused her son’s tooth decay.

Freeze-dried fruits an vegetables make great snacks for kids. Courtesy of Harvest Right

“it was really horrible... One of the reasons it was so distressing is it was preventable and obviously as a parent your job is to do everything to look after them and to keep them healthy so you can’t help thinking you’ve failed really,” she tells the BBC.

The American Dental Association says that other foods and snacks that can cause tooth decay include sports drinks, hard candies, sodas, citrus fruit, along with foods like potato chips, cereal, and popcorn.

robynmac/iStock

HandmadePictures/iStock

Also, it adds, ice can be damaging to one’s teeth. “You'd be surprised at how many people think ice is good for their teeth. It’s made of water, after all, and doesn’t contain any sugar or other additives. But chewing on hard substances can leave your teeth vulnerable to a dental emergency and damage enamel. Advice: Break the habit and enjoy water in its liquid form,” says MouthHealthy.com.

AP Photo/Ajit Solanki

Dried fruit can be damaging to teeth partially because it’s sticky.

“When it comes to picking healthy snacks, many people put dried fruit at the top of the list. But many dried fruits are sticky. Sticky foods can damage your teeth since they tend to stay on the teeth longer than other types of food. If you find yourself eating dried fruits or trail mix often, make sure to rinse with water after and to brush and floss carefully,” the site says.