what's worse - the effect of fruit juice on ds' teeth or the effect of him consuming no fruit and veg at all? (long sorry)

[deaconblue]

He is 2.9. His fussy eating is a separate issue which I know needs dealing with, but am concerned at the effects on his health of him eating no veg at all and only limited fruit. So is it worth the risk to his teeth to give him fruit juice?
In a day he eats no veg at all (won't eat wet foods either so is difficult to hide veg), will eat strawberries, melon and banana occasionally and those dried fruit humzinger things. At the moment I give him a small cup of fruit juice or smoothie a day but he would drink more and am tempted to give him more as a replacement for the other fruit and veg he should be eating. what do you reckon?

Not consuming fruit and veg at all would be worse. Just make sure he cleans his teeth after the fruit juice.

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I water down fruit juice and only give it at meals, agreed smoothies prob a better option.

DS2 will eat some veg, but will not eat any fruit at all. Occasionally dried fruit, but no fruit juice either, he just doesn't like it.
You have my sympathies, I worry about it constantly.

This whole fruit juice thing is beyond me and no doubt I will get flamed and shown pictures of rotting teeth and crying children but I give my DS (same age) fruit juice with most meals as he doesn't drink as much as I think he should.

Of course it's sugary but it does have nutritional value and is actually very nice to drink! It's not coke, ribena, red bull or gin and I can't work out why people get their knickers in such a twist about it.

My sister is a dental nurse who specialises in children's health. She says that as long as they are encouraged to drink out of a normal cup (rather than sippy cup or bottle) and you try to restrict it to meal times there should be no problem. Far better that you concentrate on teaching him good dental hygiene (I don't think you are supposed to clean their teeth directly after meals as this can weaken enamel and saliva is their to neutralise the acid)

But when DS's teeth have all fallen out by next year I shall eat my words

Dilute it with water, I've always done this with my DSs. Makes it go further too

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thnaks, so smoothies better than juice. That's good as he prefers them anyway and I have a smoothie maker but no juicer at home. No chance on the veg at all at the moment. I put veg on his plate every meal and make no fuss when he doesn't eat it as am hoping he will grow out of the fussiness (he did lick peas and sweetcorn this evening!!)
I only give juice or smoothies with breakfast and in an open cup, then clean his teeth about 30 mins or so later.