Foundational Nutrition

Key nutrients for oral development during early stages of life include calcium and vitamin D for enamel and bone mineralization, protein for tissue development, growth and immunity, fat for brain and energy, and vitamin C for gingival and connective tissue health. Deficiencies can impair eruption timing and patterns, mineralization of dentin and enamel, and the integrity of periodontal tissues.

Breastmilk provides the nutritional foundation of balanced macro and micronutrients needed for oral and craniofacial health and supplies a unique bioactive system and immune protection in the oral cavity by introducing antibacterial proteins that protect and shape the oral mucosa and microbiome. This process is dynamic and individualized and changes with infant needs and maternal factors.

Nutrition is a foundation determinant of oral-facial development. Inadequate nutrients are found to reduce craniofacial growth and increase the risk of malocclusion while early and prolonged breastfeeding supports orofacial muscle development.⁹