In this article, we will be covering healthy dietary habits in babies and young children in relation to oral health. This topic is huge, so buckle up and get ready to take notes! We also have a separate article which discusses important topics like oral hygiene and dental visits among children. In case you missed that article, click HERE to read it.
Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is crucial for a baby to grow healthily as breast milk provides nutrition and antibodies to the baby. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends babies to be exclusively breastfed for around 6 months after birth. The AAP also supports continued breastfeeding for the baby beyond 2 years old, if both the mother and the child mutually desire doing so. [1] It is recommended for children less than 5 years of age to consume breast milk, infant formula, plain milk and water. [2]
The importance of breast milk or infant formula in providing nourishment for the baby cannot be refuted. That being said, it is imperative to note that certain feeding habits increase the risk of tooth decay in your child. One example is ad libitum breastfeeding [3], which means breastfeeding freely without any restrictions. [4] Breastfeeding and bottle feeding the baby beyond 12 months of age are also associated with early childhood caries (decay of teeth in young children), especially if the milk feedings are frequent and in the middle of the night. [3] This doesn’t mean breastfeeding and bottle feeding should be completely discouraged, it just means that these feeding practices should be done judiciously.
So, if your baby is breastfed, you can consider weaning your baby off night feeds when he/she is one year of age. Night feeding refers to feeding the baby when he/she wakes up at night, which is normal during the first year of a baby’s life. [5,6] This is because your baby is most likely able to obtain enough food from his/her daytime diet by around one year old. [6]
On the other hand, if your baby is formula-fed, you can try weaning off night feeds from 6 months of age as infant formula milk is digested slower than breast milk. [6] Also, do remember to brush your child’s teeth after milk feeding before he/she sleeps at night as milk can cause tooth decay if left on teeth surfaces overnight. [7]
Bottle Feeding – When to wean off?
You might be surprised to learn that it is advisable to completely cease bottle feeding when your child is around 12 to 18 months old. Why this early? This is because prolonged bottle feeding might lead to health issues such as toddler obesity and early childhood caries. [8]
As per AAP’s recommendation, you can offer your child a cup when he/she is around 6 months old, which is the time they start taking solid foods. [9] The aim is to train him/her to be able to drink from an open cup by about 2 years old! [8] And the earlier you start weaning, the easier the weaning process becomes!
Tips to wean your kid off bottle feeding
- During the bottle weaning process, first gradually eliminate bottle feedings before naps or during bedtime while still allowing your child to drink from the bottle during mealtimes to ease the transition.
- Consider offering your child a sippy cup with a valveless sprout or an open cup with a straw when they are learning to drink from an open cup. [9,10] Honestly, sippy cups are not mandatory as many children are able to transition from breast or bottle to a regular cup without needing a sippy cup! [9]
Snacking (Healthy Diet versus Sugary Snacks)
Toddlers might need snacks between meals when they get hungry, especially in the afternoon. A balanced snack for a toddler can include various combinations of different food categories, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains and proteins. [11] These snacks should be non-sweetened and nutrient-dense to supplement the child’s meals in meeting his/her daily nutritional requirements. [3]
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends children under 2 years old to avoid added sugars in their food and drinks – such as flavored milk and ice cream – as consuming added sugars may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life. [12] Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables which contain naturally-occurring sugars should constitute a huge part of a child’s diet.
Moreover, there is concern that exposure to sweet-tasting foods and drinks during early life will increase a child’s taste preference for sweets. Thus, avoid added sugars in your child’s diet when he/she is under two years old. [3] Besides that, children who have frequent (i.e. more than three times in a day) exposure to sugary snacks or drinks in between main meals are categorized to have a HIGH risk for tooth decay. [13]
On the other hand, AAP advises against introducing 100% fruit juice to a baby under 12 months old. For children aged from 1 to 3 years old, the maximum amount of fruit juice allowed is 4 ounces (~150mL) in a day. Parents should note that allowing their child to drink fruit juices from a bottle, an open cup or a juice box throughout the day promotes tooth decay. As fresh fruits are preferred over fruit juices, it is not required to feed your child fruit juices. [14]
Fluoridated Water
Once your child is six months old and has started solid foods, you can introduce plain fluoridated water to him/her. It is recommended for children aged six to twelve months old to drink four to six ounces of water (approximately 120ml – 180mL) daily. [2]
If a child has easy and constant access to a bottle or cup, it should only contain water. (We wouldn’t want free flow sugar to your child.) Furthermore, children aged one to five year(s) old should drink fluoridated water outside of main meals and snacks to keep themselves hydrated. [2,15]
Now that you are empowered with all the essential oral health knowledge to care for your child, don’t wait! Start inculcating good dental habits in your child now. We all know a healthy smile builds a happy child!
Reference
- Meek JY, Noble L. Policy statement: breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. July 2022; 150 (1): e2022057988. 10.1542/peds.2022-057988
- Lott M, Reed L, Deuman K, Story M, Cradock A, Patel AI. Healthy beverage consumption in school-age children and adolescents: Recommendations from key national health and nutrition organizations. Consensus statement. Durham, NC: Healthy Eating Research, 2025.
Available from: Link - American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Policy on dietary recommendations for infants, children, and adolescents. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry. Chicago, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; 2024:109-13.
- Examine. Ad libitum feeding [Internet]. 2025 Mar 13 [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - Pregnancy, Birth and Baby. Night feeding [Internet]. 2024 Mar [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - Raising Children Network. Night weaning and phasing out night feeds: things to think about [Internet]. 2024 Jul 26 [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - King’s College Hospital, NHS. How to look after your child’s teeth and gums [Internet]. 2022 Aug [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - Shu J. From bottle to cup: Helping your child make a healthy transition [Internet]. HealthyChildren.org; 2023 [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - American Academy of Pediatrics. Infant food and feeding [Internet]. 2023 Nov 28 [cited 2025 Jul 19].
Available from: Link - American Dental Association. Training cups and your toddler’s teeth [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - Kaenkumchorn T, Anderson J. Building balanced snacks to feed to toddlers [Internet]. 2023 Feb 22 [cited 2025 Jul 7].
Available from: Link - Vos MB, Kaar JL, Welsh JA, et al. Added sugars and cardiovascular disease risk in children: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2017;135(19): e1017-e1034. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000439
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Caries-risk assessment and management for infants, children, and adolescents. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry. Chicago, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; 2022:266-72.
- Heyman MB, Abrams SA. Fruit juice in infants, children, and adolescents: Current recommendations. Pediatrics. 2017;139(6):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-0967
- Lott M, Callahan E, Welker Duffy E, Story M, Daniels S. Healthy Beverage Consumption in Early Childhood: Recommendations from Key National Health and Nutrition Organizations. Technical Scientific Report. Durham, N.C.: Healthy Eating Research, 2019.
Available at: Link
