Lately whenever I'm having lemon juice in water my almost 4 year old keeps asking for "Lemonade" as she calls it. I only give a small squeeze of lemon in her water. My MIL says I shouldnt give her Lemon at this age as the acid can rot her teeth.

Is it ok or not?

My cousin was eating lemons at that age - I don't think her teeth have rotted yet?

I used to eat lemons and limes like oranges.

My teeth are fine, never had a filling and the enamel is great.

Some kids just prefer sour and tart flavours.

As an adult I have moved onto lemon sorbet

I would it is good for the digestion

My DS1 loves it!

When he was a young toddler, I was cutting up limes to use in Coronas and DS1 asked for a slice so I gave him one and so started the love affair with lemon and limes.

His teeth are fine. We brush them twice a day.

I Have a glass of ice water with lemon in it every morning, so does my 3 year old DD. she loves it. Lemon is so good for your liver.

DD eats lemons like an orange or apple, has been since she was about two. Her teeth are fine and she is now 10. She loves lemon on just about everything, fish, chicken, meat, as well as eating them whole and squeezing the juice out of them to make a drink. I'm sure she'd have it on ice-ream if I let her. I think it's quite healthy compared to some other stuff they could be eating.

Both my boys have 'lemonade' all the time....it's a damn site better for them than the real stuff!

Of course. Does she eat oranges?

a bit of lemon juice in water should be fine. however your MIL is right. lemon is one of the highest acidic foods and does cause erosion of tooth enamel. brushing teeth does not eliminate this. eating a piece of cheese after acidic foods does help.

Good grief. Does MIL ever give her a mandarin? Dried fruit? Chocolate at Easter? A biscuit?

Sure, if you give her a lemon to suck, give her a water chaser.

My daughter has serious problems with her teeth from eating lemons like they were oranges. However, what effects one person's teeth may not effect anothers. I would make it very, very diluted.

A bit of lemon squeezed into water is not going to cause any issue!

Thanks for the responses.

Quite ironic really as my MIL feeds her biscuits and chocolate nonstop. Anyway I'll keep giving her some lemon in water....I'm just pleased that shes requesting something healthy and am happy to go with it while she wants it. Shes never had real "lemonade" before

And yes she loves oranges too.