Nutrition and Diet: Important Factors in Oral Health

By: Dr. Maurice Levy

General

Despite many advances in oral health, dental and oral diseases continue to be a problem for many children. There are several factors that can contribute to the oral health decline and these include: inadequate preventive measures, lack of access to care, lack of knowledge of the importance of oral health, and the importance of appropriate diet and nutrition. Parents can have a major role on oral health outcomes by knowing the importance of appropriate diet, appropriate feeding of children, including administration of appropriate fluoride modalities and dental check-ups.

A. How Nutrition Affects Oral Health

• Maintaining good nutrition is important in the initial growth and development stages of oral tissue, as it leads to good future oral health and resistance to diseases.

• Malnutrition during the critical initial life stages of a pregnancy (prenatal nutrition) may result in enamel hypoplasia (an underdevelopment or incomplete development of the teeth, since formation of the primary teeth occurs at around 3-4 months into pregnancy). Malnutrition can also lead to higher risks for cavities (caries) and tooth eruption.

• In the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases, it is important to continuously supply the body with adequate nutrients such as protein, vitamin C, iron, zinc, and calcium.

B. How Diet Affects Oral Health

• Dental Caries is the most common chronic disease affecting children in the USA and it affects about 10% of pre-school aged children in Canada. It is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay-fever.

• Parents need to control their child food’s intake since most children enjoy foods full of sugar and sweets. These are the greatest causes of tooth decay, especially if they remain in the child’s mouth for a long period of time.

• Insufficient fluoride is also a contributing factor in tooth decay. It is necessary for the strengthening of teeth and bones and should be in the infant’s diet soon after birth. It works by coming in direct contact with tooth enamel (the outside of tooth).

For further detail, take a look at my book- “Baby and Toddler Feeding and Nutritional Health: A Complete Practical Guide” or reach www.babyandtoddlerhealth.com.

Some Common Questions…

How can I help my child prevent tooth decay?

Tooth decay happens most commonly when parents put their child to bed with a bottle of formula, sugar water, juice, milk, etc. It can also occur when the child is allowed to drink from a sippy cup, suck on a bottle, or breastfeed for long periods during day and night. In order to prevent tooth decay in your child, you should ensure the following:

• If your child must have a bottle or sippy cup for a long period, fill it only with water.

• Teach your child to drink from a cup as soon as possible.

• The cup is less likely to cause the liquid to collect around the teeth and the cup also cannot be taken to bed.

• Do not use a bottle or sippy cup as a pacifier, and do not let the child walk around for long periods with this in mouth.

• Never put your child to bed with a bottle or food as it can expose your child’s teeth to build up of sugar and may cause choking.

• Ensure your baby receives an adequate amount of fluoride in his water supply (discuss with your doctor if you need). Gradually, eliminate the bottle after one year of age and start offering the cup from age of six months and up.

• Never dip soothers in anything sweet.

• If your baby is on liquid sweetened medication, rinse and brush his mouth with clear water after the medication is given.

• Choose foods carefully and avoid those that contain large amounts of added sugar. Snacks for toddlers should be low in sugar (avoid sweets such as candies, raisins, and dried fruits, etc) and avoid snacking continuously.

• If your child takes sweets or snacks high in carbohydrates in-between meals, offer pieces of cheese (e.g. Swiss or cheddar), as bacteria thrives in an environment rich in carbohydrates (sugars) Use aged, natural cheeses (contains protein, calcium, phosphorous and fatty acids), which affect the growth of streptococci bacteria and decrease the risk of caries.

How to help my child have good dental habits?

• A well balanced diet, appropriate amount of fluoride, regular dental check-ups, and brushing and flossing are all important for healthy teeth (daily dental cleaning should start as soon as your infant’s first tooth appears).

•You can wipe the teeth with a piece of gauze or a damp cloth. You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush that is age-appropriate with fluoride toothpaste as your child gets older two times per day. Because children tend to swallow toothpaste, put only a small pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on your child’s toothbrush and press the toothpaste into the bristles of the toothbrush. Taking in too much fluoride while brushing can result in fluorosis (spotting of the teeth).

• For any 2 teeth that are touching each other, floss it to prevent a cavity to form between the teeth).

•The American academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants receive oral health risk assessments by 6 months of age. Infants at a higher risk of early dental caries should be referred to a dentist as early as 6 months of age and no later than 6 months after the first tooth erupts or 12 months of age (whichever comes first). All children should have a complete dental exam by a dentist in the early toddler years.

For further info on oral health, please refer to the website and book as mentioned above.

About the Author: Dr. Maurice Levy, an eminent pediatrician, has 30 years of day-to-day medical experience in hospitals and in his active pediatric primary care and consultation clinic. Former Chief of Pediatrics and currently Head of Pediatric Research at North York General Hospital, Dr. Levy has trained and worked in various hospitals across the globe. Along with his medical degree and specialty in General Pediatrics, Dr. Levy has received various specialized diplomas and received numerous awards and publications. For more information, visit: www.babyandtoddlerhealth.com.