Dentists join chocolate milk debate
Dentists have now joined the debate on providing chocolate milk in schools; nutrition experts have warned against giving children chocolate milk for many years now and recently dentists have condemned the decision to give children chocolate milk, claiming that it contributes to dental decay.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry lists chocolate milk as a healthy snack, provided that it is consumed in moderation; however, many dentists have criticised this, claiming that drinking chocolate milk is contributing to higher levels food decay amongst children in America. Angie Chin, a paediatric dentist in Manhattan, said that she discourages her patients from drinking chocolate milk because it has a high sugar content and this causes the production of harmful plaque acids, which destroy the enamel surfaces of the teeth.
Healthy food campaigner, Ann Cooper, said that chocolate milk was just soda in disguise; the sugar content is very high and this can damage the protective enamel covering on the teeth, making children susceptible to decay and acid erosion.
Some experts, including Mary Hayes, a paediatric dentist from Chicago are saying that while chocolate milk is no an ideal snack for children, it is preferable to fizzy, sugary drinks, which have no nutritional value and have a much higher sugar content.
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