This shocking statistic comes from England and experts blame fruit juice and other sweet drinks. Dentists blame well-meaning parents who give their toddlers fruit drinks in an effort to improve their diet. The problem is, fruit drinks can be highly acidic. This can wear away tooth enamel and the sugar in these drinks encourages bacterial overgrowth in the mouth. Fruit contains natural sugar, so even if the juice does not contain added sugar, fruit is inherently sweet. Giving your child fruit to eat is beneficial, but please give them whole fruit, rather than juice. Vegetables are even more beneficial because they are lower in sugar and usually higher in vitamins and minerals. Read more