Understanding Your Baby’s Teeth
A large proportion of babies at around six months of age start to see their milk teeth emerge. By the age of 2 1/2 the majority of all 20 of your baby’s first teeth would usually have appeared. Each tooth is constituted of two sections, the Crown, which is visible within the mouth, and the root, which secures the tooth into the jawbone, concealed by the gum. The coating of the tooth is made up from enamel. This provides a strong and robust protection for the Crown and also provides a strong plate for chewing. Given the enamel has not formed to its fall capacity during the early stages, the addition of calcium and other minerals are essential between six and 12 months to ensure it is strengthened.
The minerals required to strengthen the enamel are located within the saliva and plaque in your child’s mouth and under ordinary circumstances will gradually accumulate upon the teeth. The problem is however that the calcium and phosphate contained within the compound of the enamel, regularly come under attack from harmful acids that are manufactured by the bacteria residing in plaque. The bacteria utilises carbohydrates to generate the acid. You will be aware of the need for your baby to consume carbohydrates and thereby increasing the acids which is fine. However, food and drink containing significant amounts of simple sugars such as sucrose and fructose, allows for the increased manufacture of these acids which can lead to damaged teeth.
Not only the quantities of sugar your baby consumes which affects your babies teeth, but also the frequency that he or she consumes sugary food and drink. Liquids consumed slowly or even sugary foods eaten over an extended period of time, ensure the sugar content of the mouth remains high thereby ensuring the calcium and phosphates are being removed for longer and less time is available to substitute them.
Generically speaking, the lower the sugar content of drinks and food the more beneficial they are for your teeth given it is the total sugar levels, and not just the added sugars which count. It is for this reason you should not add sugars to your infants food or drinks and why it is standard practice to dilute concentrated drinks and provide it to your baby in a training cup and not in a feeding bottle.