Early Childhood Caries (Tooth Decay) and Advices From Experts of American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry

American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourage people to take care of their babies teeth and they also have policy on Dietary Recommendations for Infants, Children, and Adolescents.

Tips For Dental Care In Babies

Ensure dental hygiene of the entire family, especially ensure my own dental hygiene as baby often puts his hand in
my mouth, gets kisses, gets food out of my mouth etc.
Start brushing baby’s teeth twice a day as soon as tooth appears
Take baby to the dentist (to get him used to the family dentist if nothing else), and ensure that I don’t miss my
regular dental visits.
Avoid sweet food, overly processed foods, juices as much as possible and clean baby’s mouth incase he eats these
things.

What Experts Say

Epidemiological research shows that human milk and breast-feeding of infants provide general health, nutritional, developmental, psychological, social, economic, and environmental advantages while significantly decreasing risk for a large number of acute and chronic diseases.

Human breast milk is uniquely superior in providing the best possible nutrition to infants and has not been epidemiologically associated with caries. Frequent night time bottle-feeding with milk is associated with, but not consistently implicated in, early childhood caries (ECC).

Breastfeeding 7 times daily after 12 months of age is associated with increased risk for ECC. Ad libitum breastfeeding after introduction of other dietary carbohydrates and inadequate oral hygiene are risk factors for ECC.

Policy statement

The AAPD, in its efforts to promote optimal health for infants, children, and adolescents, supports the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that all children should have access to healthy food and nutrition programs that ensure the availability of a safe and adequate food supply that promotes optimal physical, cognitive, and social growth and development.

The AAPD encourages

1.Breast-feeding of infants to ensure the best possible health and developmental and psychosocial outcomes, with
care to wiping or brushing as the first primary tooth begins to erupt and other dietary carbohydrates are
introduced.
2.Educating the public about the association between frequent consumption of carbohydrates and caries;
3.Educating the public about other health risks associated with excess consumption of simple carbohydrates, fat,
saturated fat, and sodium.

Furthermore, the AAPD encourages

1. Paediatric dentists and other health care providers who treat children to provide dietary and nutrition counseling
(commensurate with their training and experience) in conjunction with other preventive services for their
patients.
2. Food and beverage manufacturers to make nutritional content on food labels more prominent and “consumer-friendly”.
3. Consumers to monitor the presence and relative amounts of carbohydrates and saturated fats as listed on food
labels.
4. School health education programs and food services to promote nutrition programs that provide well-balanced and
nutrient-dense foods of low caries-risk, in conjunction with encouraging increased levels of physical activity.
5. Research, education, and appropriate legislation to promote diverse and balanced diets.
6. Paediatric dentists and other health care providers to recommend or prescribe sugar-free medications whenever
possible.
7. Educating parents of the risks of overdose from excessive consumption of candy-like chewable vitamin supplements.