Sippy Cups Vs. Straw Cups

Sippy Cups

• Sippy cups are favored by many parents due to their convenience. Their use is relatively easy to teach to a baby because of their similarity with bottles. Both must be tilted in order to take a drink, although sippy cups require more suction than bottles. This tends to feel more natural for the child than sucking the liquid through a straw.

Straw Cups

• Like sippy cups, straw cups have a watertight lid that prevents a fallen cup from becoming a disaster. Straw cups, however, do not need to be tilted in order for the child to take a sip. They do require more suction power than sippy cups, however. This helps exercise and develop the muscles involved in lip control. (see References 2)

Tooth Decay

• Sippy cups have been found to promote tooth decay. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (See References 1), sippy cups should never contain any liquid other than water unless being used during a meal. Due to the convenience of sippy cups, children often carry them around and sip on them throughout the day. If these cups contain sweet beverages, even diluted, the child's teeth may be exposed to a constant bombardment by tooth-decaying sugars.

Dependency

• Many children end up using sippy cups for far too long and become dependent upon them. AAPD President Philip H. Hunke, D.D.S., M.S.D., says that "Sippy cups were created to help children transition from a bottle to drinking from a regular cup, but they're too often used for convenience." (See References 1) Alternatively, straw cups develop a skill that can be used through adulthood.

Proper Use

• Both styles of spill-proof cups have their advantages. The most important thing for parents to do is make sure that the cup they choose is used properly in order to keep their child healthy and to facilitate a smooth transition to the next phase in their child's development.