Fact Sheets for Families Good and Healthy Smiles

Good nutrition is not only necessary for general , calcifi cation. defi ciency during child- it also plays a key role in the development and protec- hood causes delay in appearance of the baby and tion of good oral health. permanent teeth, and creates problems in the order in which the teeth come in. reduces dental Being healthy means good oral health decay by making it harder for the to Oral health is essential to general health and means more break down, reducing the ability of bacteria to pro- than healthy teeth and the absence of —it means duce acid, and promoting mineral replacement. that the teeth, and mouth are healthy, comfort- • Vitamins C and K play an important role in keep- able and functional. Oral health facilitates good nutrition ing gums healthy. helps keep gum tissue as well. We need healthy teeth and gums to effectively strong and vitamin K helps control bleeding. Vita- chew and swallow our food and absorb nutrients es- min C defi ciency affects gums and soft tissues that sential for the body’s general health. In turn, good help support the teeth. nutrition and healthy eating promote good oral health. • Vitamin A defi ciency during tooth formation is re- The importance of healthy eating ported to interfere with tooth calcifi cation and result in the incomplete development or underdevelop- Development of primary teeth starts during the second ment of the enamel. month of embryonic life, and these teeth begin to calcify before birth. Permanent teeth start to calcify just before • Ribofl avin defi ciency results in infl ammation of the birth and by age 8 years the crowns of all permanent , and infl ammation and cracking of the lips. teeth, except the third molar, are formed. What we eat and drink not only plays an important role in the devel- Eating habits that affect oral opment and protection of these teeth and gums—in Inappropriate use of a bottle fact, two of the most common ( or In many cases, early childhood caries is caused by chil- cavities and gum disease) can be prevented by simply dren using a bottle or sippy cup with juice or other improving the diet. Gum disease affects the soft tissues sugary drinks rather than water. This can happen when that help support the teeth and is the leading cause of children are put to bed with a bottle, or when they drink in adults. through a bottle or sippy cup frequently during the day. The following nutrients are important for good oral Food that is high in sugar or starch health: While children and adolescents need diets that provide • Protein is important for the formation of teeth. them with lots of energy, this doesn’t mean that they Malnutrition causes signifi cant delay in eruption of should consume soft drinks and high sugar snacks primary teeth and studies suggest a relationship throughout the day. Food that is high in sugar or starch between early malnutrition and dental caries (un- (especially sticky foods), hard candies, soft drinks, der-developed teeth and under-calcifi ed teeth are juices, cookies, pies, cakes and potato chips are linked to vulnerable to cavities). higher levels of cavity-causing bacteria. They can lead to cavities because they react with bacteria on the teeth • , vitamin D, and fl uoride are needed to to produce acids that eat away tooth enamel. build strong teeth through the process called tooth Frequency of eating Provided by California Childcare Health Program Besides good oral hygiene, frequency of eating is the For more information, please contact: most important factor related to dental caries. The more Healthline 1-800-333-3212 frequent the food intake, the greater the risk for caries, Distributed by: because a high frequency of eating encourages the growth of bacteria in the mouth that, in turn, leads to increased acidity in the oral cavity. Reference American Academy of Pediatrics. (2004). Pediatric Nutri- tion Handbook, Fifth Edition. Revised 11/05