Gummy Vitamins and Cavities

I've never heard of gummies being a problem.
Brushing too often can cause some problems though - it can wear out the enamel.
Perhaps the dentist means gummy candies in general (like kids eat lots of them all the time?) because a child gummy vitamin serving is too small an amount to be a problem if they don't eat regular candy gummies the rest of the time.

My daughter gives these to her children and their dentist has never said a word. The 2 oldest have each had a cavity due to deep grooves in their molars. The dentist applied sealant and it hasn't been an issue since.

Well your dentist is probably referring to ALL gummies, like candy and especially fruit snacks which many parents give their kids thinking they are just as good as a serving of fruit (not!)
I don't see how one gummy vitamin a day could do much harm, especially if his teeth are being brushed frequently and he's seeing the dentist twice a year.

Our dentist actually encourages Gummi Vites if it means my children will take vitamins.

A child should only be taking the recommended dosage (maximum) of those things per day. No more than that. If they skip a day, I don't fuss over it. I always give them their vitamins with a meal to avoid any chance of upset stomachs and getting the gumminess caught in the teeth.

What you SHOULD stop doing is calling them "treats." Nothing that is a medication or dietary supplement should ever be called a "treat" because it's misleading, and if your son ever got hold of a full bottle and opened it he would likely try to eat the whole thing thinking it was all right because it was a safe candy treat. Refer to it for what it is... a vitamin to help keep him healthy.

EDIT: I think your child's doctor was likely talking about actual gummi CANDY, not gummi VITAMINS.

I would think that one gummy vitamin before teeth brushing is probably ok. Are you certain your dentist was referring to the vitamins or the gummy snacks? My friend's son had to have extensive dental work done at the age of four. It was determined that family history and snacking on the gummy snacks were the culprits. She was warned against the treats, but did not heed the warnings.

My BIL is our dentist. He also cringes at the idea of gummy snacks. They are sticky and get stuck in the cracks and crevices. Even if you brush, often there is missed residue.

My kids eat gummy vitamins and their dentist has never said anything. Just brush right after (but, we don't....no new cavities either) if you are worried.
L.

Your dentist should show you the data he/she used as the basis of that statement. I think he/she is overstating their case. Two gummy vitamins during a meal, when the kiddo is going to brush their teeth reasonably soon after, is not going to be "the main reason for cavities in kids." No way. No how.

You might want to consider interviewing other potential dentists.

And, to answer your question, our pediatric dentist has never told us not to give them gummy vitamins. Never even brought it up. My kiddos (3 and 5) have healthy teeth and no cavities (yet).

Sticky candies can cause problems, in general. I would discuss with the dentist ways to give your child vitamins without harming his teeth if he won't take anything but. Does YOUR child have bad teeth? Or is that just a general statement?

Further, talk to his pediatrician to see if he needs extra vitamins. My DD's dr said she ate well enough that as long as I made sure she got her calcium, she shouldn't need them.

But I also would make it clear that they are medicine, not treats, or you may find him trying to eat more than he should and be very sick.

It is true that gummy candy does cause cavities. I would suggest giving him the gummy just before you brush and floss his teeth, but it would probably be better to get him used to Flintstones, since you won't always be the one brushing his teeth for him. My boys love the Flintstones, but won't take the gummy vitamins.

I personally think dentists are sometimes a little insane. I have had a total of two cavities in my 37 year life yet every dentist visit I get a lecture on flossing and what I eat and drink. Everytime I take my kids to the dentist I feel like they lecture them as well. I am sure they mean well, but I find it really annoying. My teeth and my kids teeth are in good shape, just say "well done" and let us get out of there. I used Flinstones with my daughter at first and I got frustrated because I had to break them in half until they were a certain age. After my son was old enough to take vitamins, I liked that when he could take a whole gummy instead. My kids take gummy vitamins in the morning and at night AFTER they brush their teeth. My daughter is 6 and has never had a cavity. I am not a doctor or a dentist but I prefer my kids get their vitamins rather than that they refuse to take them.

Well, our Dentist said that a Gummy vitamin is a gummy thing. Like other sticky gummy foods, it can stick to the teeth.
So, our dentist didn't say it is the MAIN reason for cavities, but said that, anything gummy is a potential cavity creator.

Gummy vitamins don't have iron, so unless he gets a liquid supplement in addition (really gross tasting and stain teeth), he's missing out on a very important nutrient. I still give my kids the liquid though, every so often in addition to an iron vitamin. I have to hold down the toddler to do so!

Some gummy vitamins don't have sugar. But that artificial sugar is probably worse (cancer, etc.), so we buy the kind with sugar. Also, only a few brands don't have artificial dyes.

Flintstone Complete has iron and it's a regular vitamin. They do have dyes but I cannot risk my kids getting low iron. We battled it getting a bit low and it causes irreversible IQ damage, etc. (iron deficiency does). It's a steep slope...as it gets worse. But anything low is NOT good. They took Dr. prescribed doses to get their iron back up.

I take gummies. My husband does. We love them! We don't get cavities and never have. I don't mind the kids eating a gummy vitamin here and there but I have to be strict with iron, then.

We don't, though, buy fruit snack gummies. Those are probably really, really bad for teeth.

Bottom line is my kids have to get Flintsone Complete daily for the iron WITH vitamin C in (regular) orange juice to absorb the iron. They also take calcium/vitamin D gummies but in the evening so the iron and calcium don't block absorption. The calcium chews are chalky so sometimes I just buy the vitamin D gummies alone. They drink a lot of milk.

I give my kids their vitamins in the morning with breakfast. They brush their teeth after so it usually doesn't matter. Just make sure he brushes after he takes them. I have never seen them sitting in my kids teeth after they eat them.

Just asked our dentist and she said no gummy "fruit snacks" but gummy vitamins are okay. I would ask your pediatrician whether vitamins are needed. They aren't for my 2 year old who will eat anything but my 6 year old has a very "limited" diet so my pediatrician recommended any vitamin for him.

It didn't come up with my kids. Probably because I didn't use them when they were little. But I was instructed to go easy (or completely forego) those little snack boxes of raisins.

Anything that is sticky like that will get down in the crevices and not come out easily. And we all know how well little kids brush their teeth and allow flossing. It just is hard to get it all, no matter who is doing the brushing.

I'd follow the dentists advice and skip the gummies.

My dentist told M. that she buys them for her young children as well. So she doesn't encourage them but doesn't discourage them either as long as teeth are brushed afterwards. Flintstones?? They have horrible dyes in them. I buy the Lil'critters gummy vitamins for my son which are naturally sourced and he has never had a cavity in his molers.

I give my son gummy vitamins at night before bed so he brushes his teeth right after.