Following some feedback from family health visitors that parents have been receiving mixed advice from members of the dental team we wanted to reiterate the official Government guidance on Breastfeeding and Dental Health:
Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding is recommended for a baby’s first six months of life and continuing breastfeeding beyond 6 months is beneficial for both mother and baby.
- Infants should be exclusively breastfed for around the first 6 months of life.
- Current evidence indicates that breastfeeding up to 12 months of age is associated with a decreased risk of dental caries.
- The evidence on breastfeeding after one year is weaker because the majority of research is based on observational studies without adjustments for confounding factors such as diet, tooth brushing behaviours and the use of fluoride toothpaste.
Bottle feeding
- It is recommended that only breast milk, infant formula or cooled boiled water should be given in a bottle.
- Sugar, honey or any other sugar-containing products or drinks should be avoided.
- From the age of 6 months babies should be encouraged to drink from a free-flow cup.
- Feeding from a bottle should be discouraged from the age of one year.
For mothers who would like to continue breastfeeding beyond 12 months, it is important to consider healthy weaning and diet practices(no or reduction in sugar intake), brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and visiting an NHS dentist.
Government guidance on breastfeeding and dental health is available here.
