Encourage Your Kids to Drink More Plain Water This School Year
H2O, Yes!
Any time we convince our children to do something healthy, it’s a parenting win! Encouraging our children to choose plain water over a sugary option may be one of the biggest parenting challenges yet. Still, it’s one of the healthiest things you can get your children to do! Our bodies are over 60% water, and if we don’t take in enough water, our cells get dehydrated. This puts extra strain on cell function, which ultimately results in lower functioning for you! Yet, many of the liquids we drink do more harm than good. Soft drinks, energy drinks, and sugary coffees and teas can do extensive damage to your teeth and body. To start, the normal bacteria in your mouth excrete acids after consuming sugar left on your teeth from sugary drinks. This acid eats away at your teeth, resulting in cavities. The acid levels alone in some beverages erode teeth as you consume them. Help decrease the acid by encouraging your child to drink plain water. You can start by decorating reusable water bottles as a family or letting your child choose a special one from the store. You can even purchase bottles with technology that will remind a user when it’s time to drink! Don’t hesitate to speak with your children’s schools about installing bottle refilling stations and encouraging water consumption. Finally, rid your home of sugary beverages. When beginning your water crusade, remember that the old adage of drinking eight glasses per day no longer holds true. Researchers now recommend consuming anywhere between half an ounce to one ounce of water for each pound a person weighs. Take this information and turn drinking water into a game for your kids! First, calculate how much water each family member needs to drink every day, and then create a sticker chart or download a water-tracking app. Next, set goals for each family member, and at the end of the month, honor those who met their goal with prizes! For being plain, drinking water doesn’t have to be boring! Learn more about water consumption at CDC.gov, and get more “smart smile tips” from Dr. Sabo and her team at your regular dental appointment.
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