Gummy Vitamins and Your Teeth (6 Things You Need To Know)

Gummy bears—much like candies in general—have always been well known for being bad for your teeth, but now they have taken on a new role as a health food product. Gummy vitamins have found a solid place on supplement aisles, as ironic as that may sound.

It’s not too surprising: after all, kids love gummy bears, and making them healthy just seems like a good idea.

But are gummy vitamins bad for your teeth? Here, we’ll look at a few of the pros and cons of gummy vitamins and your teeth to see whether they might not actually be the worst idea ever.

A Few Pros of Gummy Vitamins

It’s actually quite clever to inject a tasty treat with all the vitamins and minerals your child will need for the day. This makes taking your vitamins quite appealing, and it affords a few benefits.

These include:

No struggle: Kids like sweet, chewy candies (as do most adults), so gummy supplements are an easy way to get your children the vitamins they need without having to win an impossible argument or resort to force-feeding.
Easy to swallow: For children who can’t—or won’t—swallow whole pills, gummy vitamins provide an easy solution. They can be chewed and swallowed with no fuss or risk of choking.
Additional vitamins: Finally, of course, there’s the fact that they do provide important vitamins. These usually include vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, zinc, calcium, and various others, all of which help fill in some of the gaps left by your child’s normal diet.

In general, the American diet is deficient in certain vitamins, making a supplement a fairly easy way to get missing nutrients. Producing that supplement in gummy form makes it even easier, and in many cases children will not only gladly take their vitamins, but ask for more.

And Now the Cons

Of course, the fact that your child may beg you for more gummies should be a red flag. Coating a nutritional supplement in sticky, delicious sugar comes with its own risks, among which are the following:

Risk of overdose: The appealing, sweet taste of gummy vitamins poses a risk for overdose. Some companies are careful not to include certain nutrients that could be dangerous if taken in excess. Others not so much. There are numerous cases of parents taking their children to the emergency room due to them downing the entire bottle.
Tooth decay: It’s only a small amount per supplement, but sugar (such as glucose syrup, the same type of sugar found in most candy) still feeds bacteria. The fact that the sugar is in gummy form makes it more likely to stick to teeth, increasing the odds of bacteria growth, plaque, and tooth decay.
Weaker than normal multivitamins: In general, gummy vitamins actually contain less in the way of vitamin content than regular multivitamins, making them less effective while still introducing a bit of extra sugar into your diet.

The main drawback to gummy vitamins is the sugar can stick to your teeth, working to weaken the enamel and contributing to plaque building which can result in cavities.

While full of vitamins and minerals, anyone asking “Are gummy vitamins bad for your teeth?” should recognize that they certainly aren’t good for them.

The risks posed by gummy vitamins makes them far more harmful than helpful in many cases. Combining candy with vitamins may not necessarily be the worst idea ever, but it certainly isn’t the best one either.

What to Do if Your Child Wants Gummy Vitamins

If you’re already using gummy vitamins, there are some ways you can reduce the risks. Try including vitamins with meals instead of making them a treat, educate your child on the need to eat healthy, and help them form good dental hygiene habits. Make sure they understand that their vitamins are there to help them get those extra nutrients they might not get from food alone.

Another tactic is having your child drink water right after taking a gummy vitamin and having them brush their teeth no less than an hour after consuming it. This can go a long way towards mitigating the damage done by the sugar content in the vitamin. Be sure to floss completely and check with your dentist regarding the best toothpaste for your child’s age.

Also, it’s never a bad idea to switch to other options. Consider preparing healthier meals or switching to chewable tablets that won’t stick to your child’s teeth. These options can eliminate the risks of gummy vitamins and your teeth while promoting overall health.

Make sure to keep up on your child’s dental health–make an appointment for their regular cleaning and oral checkup!