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The following points from Bright
Futures in Practice: Oral Health and Bright
Futures in Practice: Nutrition offer anticipatory
guidance to share with parents about infant and early
childhood feeding.[2],
[7]
-
Eat healthy foods during planned meals and snacks,
and limit eating (grazing) in between.
- Eat fruit, vegetables, grain products (especially
whole grain), and dairy products (milk, cheese,
cottage cheese, and unsweetened yogurt).
- Eat foods containing sugar at mealtimes only, and
limit the amount. Frequent consumption of foods
high in sugar, such as candy, cookies, cake, and
sweetened beverages (e.g., fruit drinks, soda),
and fruit juice increases the risk for tooth decay.
In addition, frequent consumption of foods that
easily adhere to the tooth surface, such as dried
fruit, fruit roll-ups, and candy, increases the
risk for tooth decay. When checking for sugar,
look beyond the sugar bowl and candy dish. A variety
of foods contain one or more types of sugar, and
all types of sugars can promote tooth decay.
- Choose fruit rather than fruit juice to meet the
recommended daily fruit intake. Drink fruit juice
at mealtimes only, if at all.
- Avoid carbonated beverages during pregnancy and
for the first 30 months of the infant's life.
- Drink fluoridated water (via a community fluoridated water source) to prevent tooth decay; for families that prefer bottled water, drink a brand in which fluoride is added at a concentration of approximately 0.7 to 1.2 mg/L (ppm).
- Once the infant is born, to prevent transmission of bacteria that
cause tooth decay from the parent (especially
the mother) via saliva to the infant, avoid testing
the temperature of the bottle with the
mouth, sharing utensils (e.g., spoons), or
cleaning a pacifier or bottle nipple with saliva.
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