Sippy Cups

06 Jan.,2025

 

Sippy Cups

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As a pediatric dentist, I get a lot of questions about sippy cups and which one I prefer.  And I do not blame parents!  How are you to know?  Hard tip, soft tip, 360, straw&#; the options go on and on.

AAPD recommendations:

I like to follow the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) because I feel like the information they provide has the most research supporting it.  The AAPD recommends a cup with a snap or screw-on lid with no valve to allow the child to sip and not suck on the liquid.  They recommend a cup with handles so children can hold on to the cup easier.  And lastly, it is recommended that the cup have a weighted bottom to prevent spills.

The AAPD website quotes Dr. Burton Edelstein regarding sippy cups.  &#;Limit bottles and sippy cups. If your child totes around a sippy cup all day or sleeps with a bottle at night, the sugars in formula, milk, or juice will pool around his teeth and allow cavity-causing bacteria to flourish, says Parents advisor Burton Edelstein, D.D.S., M.P.H., founding director of the Children&#;s Dental Health Project.&#;

AAP recommendations:

It is not recommended that children carry around sippy cups throughout the day or be put to bed with a sippy cup at nap and nighttime.  The American Academy of Pediatrics changed its recommendations a few years back stating that fruit juices are not recommended for children.  Due to their high sugar content, juices do not benefit the child&#;s diet, and they make children more prone to cavities.

My recommendations:

  1. What is IN the sippy cup is the most important thing!
  2. Water is best for drinking throughout the day
  3. Keep juices (including diluted juices), milk, and sodas to mealtimes or special occasions
  4. Do NOT let your child go to nap or bedtime with a sippy cup
  5. Use ANY sippy cup your child prefers, but do not allow him or her to carry it around throughout the day

I wish children came with an all-inclusive handbook, but unfortunately, that is not the case.  Many parents feel an overwhelming amount of stress about making a mistake when it comes to raising their children.  To be honest, there are a lot of things to worry about in this world, and sippy cups should not fall anywhere on that list!

Resources:

https://www.aapd.org/assets/news/upload//.pdf

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/training-cups

 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Dental-Care Sippy Cup.

 

Sippy Cups and Dental Health

It&#;s a milestone worthy of celebration: your baby is graduating from bottles! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , your toddler should be ready to move on from the breast or bottle between 12 and 24 months.

While your child may not be ready for a regular cup right away, there are a number of training cups you can use to help them move from baby to big kid. Here are three things to consider.

What Type of Training Cup to Use

While it&#;s tempting to purchase a &#;no spill&#; cup, these are essentially baby bottles with a different design. The aim is to shift from sucking to sipping. No-spill cups have a valve that stops spills and the only way your child can drink from a no-spill cup is to suck, not sip.

While it&#;s tempting to purchase a &#;no spill&#; cup, these are essentially baby bottles with a different design. The aim is to shift from sucking to sipping. No-spill cups have a valve that stops spills and the only way your child can drink from a no-spill cup is to suck, not sip.

To help your child learn how to sip, look for training cups with the following:

  • A cup with a snap-on or screw-on lid that has a spout, but no valve
  • Training cups with two handles
  • Training cups with weighted bases to keep them upright and to cut down on spills

What Goes In Your Child&#;s Cup

Know which drinks are best to give your child. Water with fluoride is the best beverage for your child&#;s teeth, so always offer water first. Milk is also a great option to offer during meals.

Know which drinks are best to give your child. Water with fluoride is the best beverage for your child&#;s teeth, so always offer water first. Milk is also a great option to offer during meals.

According to recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, juice has no nutritional value for children under 1 years old, and they should not consume it at all. Older children can drink some juice in recommended, age-appropriate limits at mealtimes. Sugary drinks like fruit juice increase your child&#;s risk for cavities, especially if your child is drinking it between meals. The act of chewing during meals gets saliva flowing, which can help wash away any leftover sugar from juice or food on your child&#;s teeth.

Where and When Your Child Is Using Training Cups

Like any new skill your baby works on, learning how to use a regular cup will take time, practice and patience on both of your parts! To help ease them into the habit, use a training cup with water between meals or when you&#;re on-the-go.

Like any new skill your baby works on, learning how to use a regular cup will take time, practice and patience on both of your parts! To help ease them into the habit, use a training cup with water between meals or when you&#;re on-the-go.

Mealtimes are a good time to start working with your child on sipping from real cups. Limit spills by starting with small amounts of water or milk in cups your child can comfortably hold. Cups with two handles or small paper cups can be great starter tools.

And toddlers are called &#;toddlers&#; for a reason, so don&#;t let your child walk and sip at the same time to avoid a mouth injury.

Once the day is done, don&#;t let your child go to bed with any kind of cup unless it&#;s filled with water. Letting sugary drinks pool in your child&#;s mouth overnight can lead to cavities.

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