Is cough syrup bad for your child’s teeth?
by RachelTheWriterMost conscientious parents would shy away from using sugar to help their child swallow medicine, even to disguise the bitter taste. Some even check the medicine itself to ensure there is no added sugar. But recent research suggests that cough medicine itself could be causing tooth decay in our little ones.
A report in the February issue of General Dentistry suggests that, while helping fix other problems, some kids medicines could be harming their teeth while they work, creating cavities.
But if the medicine doesn’t contain sugar, how can this be? It’s all to do with the acidity level of the medicine. The report suggests that many of children’s liquid medicines have low pH levels and high acidity. This can be bad for children’s teeth, especially if the medicine is given before bed.
Saliva, which usually washes the mouth clean, decreases during sleep, so the medicine can linger much longer in your child’s mouth. If you still want to continue using liquid medicines though, just follow a few simple steps to ensure tooth safety for your children:
Try to get your child to take his or her medicine at mealtimes.
Make sure your child gargles, or swallows, some water after the medicine.
And best of all, get your child to brush his or her teeth with a fluoride toothpaste after taking the medicine.
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