Oral Development and Dental Caries in the Breastfed Baby

Breastfeeding and Infant Oral Development
Breastfeeding is important for a baby’s oral development.

• Human milk contains calcium which is highly bioavailable. This means that babies absorb more calcium from human milk than from formula. Calcium helps to strengthen teeth.⁽¹⁰⁾
• Proteins in human milk can protect tooth enamel.⁽⁷⁾
• Human milk contains lactoferrin which helps to kill the bacteria that causes tooth decay.^{(9, 10)}
• Babies who are exclusively nursing have a different pattern of sucking than babies who are exclusively bottle feeding. When your baby is latched efficiently, the breast is drawn deeply in the baby’s mouth. This deep latch supports and maintains the normal wide and shallow shape of the palate (the roof of the mouth). Artificial nipples, whether bottles or soothers, tend to push the palate into a higher, narrower V shape.^{(7, 8)}
• The shape of your baby’s palate affects the external shape of your baby’s face and jaw as well as the shape of the dental arch. This, in turn, affects tooth spacing of both the baby and adult teeth. All of these factors together can affect speech production.
• A well-developed palate reduces crowding and the risk of dental caries.
• Well-spaced teeth are easier to clean and cleaner teeth are less likely to develop decay.
• Studies have shown that breastfed babies are less likely to have teeth alignment problems.^{(1, 7, 8, 10)}

The bacteria Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), and Lactobacillus contribute to a low pH environment in the mouth. Both produce acids which break down enamel and cause tooth decay.⁽⁴⁾ Human milk has a neutral pH which helps to prevent the growth of these bacteria.

The calcium in human milk is highly bioavailable and helps to strengthen your baby’s teeth. But strong teeth alone cannot prevent dental caries. Dental caries develop in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates – foods such as grains, baked goods, juice, sugary and sticky foods. Dental caries were rare before humans started growing and eating grains.⁽⁸⁾ Grains introduced significant levels of fermentable carbohydrates into the human diet. Once foods other than human milk are introduced, your baby will likely be eating fermentable carbohydrates. Carbohydrates tend to stick to teeth. They interact with S. mutans and Lactobacillus and are metabolized by these germs which creates lactic acid which dissolves tooth enamel.^{(4, 7)} This begins the process that causes tooth decay. One of the worst offenders is crackers, a common “baby food.”