The weaning diet and dental health

Weaning practice can have a major influence on both immediate and future dental health and good dietary practices from birth have the potential to secure a healthy dentition for life. In a recently published report it is recommended that infants (an infant may be defined as a child who has not yet reached the age of one year) be weaned on foods and drinks free as far as possible of non-milk extrinsic (NME) sugars. At the same time, there has also been an increasing development of low-sugar and sugar-free products for infants. There has also been growing concern that infant drinks with low pH may cause enamel erosion in primary teeth, a phenomenon that is perhaps more widespread than has been recognised in the past. The aim of the weaning diet is to achieve a diet which fulfills nutritional requirements for the growing child and which contains a wide variety of foods and drinks. It is suggested that items high in NME sugars are not a necessary part of the diet, should be regarded as 'occasional', and not given every day. Drinks other than milk or water should constitute a minority of total drinks and be given only at main mealtimes; they should not be given in bottles or at bedtime.