Being kind to teeth

Dentists tell parents that the best drink for their children between meals is water. Juice and milk should be drunk during a meal, with teeth brushed afterwards. Both contain harmful acids - and a carton of juice drink may contain only 15 per cent juice, while half the brands have more sugar than Coca-Cola.

Ribena Toothkind's advertising has given the impression that the product is an exception in that it is safe for children's teeth, when in reality the manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline, can only claim that Ribena Toothkind, with no sugar and lower levels of fruit acids, is "minimising" the risk of erosion. The product's packaging boasts that it is accredited by the British Dental Association, which renewed the accreditation earlier this month - against the advice of the British Consumers Association.

However, when the British Advertising Standards authority complained about Ribena Toothkind's advertising, the complaint was upheld by the High Court. The court said that while the drink contains less sugar and is less acidic than other fruit drinks, research shows that it can still cause decay and erosion and is not truly "kind" to teeth.

GlaxoSmithKline responds: "We continue to have total confidence in the product. It is supported by a scientific dossier of over 1,200 pages and its claims have been accredited by the British Dental Association (BDA)."