In recent years, caries, abnormal tooth development and eruption have become increasingly common in children. Children’s diet not only affects their dental and oral health, but also affects their general health and development. We should re-conceptualize the importance of “dietary health education”. A healthy diet means balance. A healthy diet provides children with all the nutrients they need to grow. A balanced diet should include the following major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, legumes, and dairy. How does a child’s diet affect oral health? 1. Children need a balanced diet so that their teeth can grow healthily; 2. A balanced diet is also necessary for healthy gum tissue; 3. It is also important to know that some diets that contain too much of certain carbohydrates (e.g., sugar and starch) can increase the chance of cavities. How to develop a safe diet? First, make sure the diet is balanced. Then focus on how often sugar and starchy foods are consumed. Starchy foods include: bread, crackers, pasta, pretzels, and snacks like chips. When looking at “sugar”: Look beyond the candy jar – many foods contain one or more types of sugar, all of which can cause tooth decay. Fruits, some vegetables and most dairy products contain sugar (at least one). Many processed foods contain sugar, although some sugary foods do not taste sweet. For example, in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, sugar may be hidden not only in the jelly but also in the peanut butter. Sugar is also found in some condiments, such as ketchup and salad dressings. Should I keep my child away from all sugary, starchy foods? Of course not! Many sugary and starchy foods provide the nutrients your child needs. Here’s what you should do: make smart food choices and feed your child. Foods containing sugars and starches are safer for teeth when eaten at three meals (rather than as a snack). Sticky foods like dried fruit and toffee are hard for saliva, water or milk to wash away from the teeth, so they’re more likely to rot the teeth than foods that can be quickly cleared from the teeth. Talk to your pediatric dentist to find out how food choices and intake can protect your child’s oral health. The child is still breastfeeding, any suggestions? 1. Advocate breastfeeding: Breast milk is high in calories, rich in all kinds of nutrients needed by infants and young children as well as more enzymes and antibodies, which are favorable for infants’ digestion, absorption and resistance to diseases. Direct breastfeeding is convenient, hygienic and economical, and it is recommended to exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months. From the point of view of maternal and child health, advocate on-demand breastfeeding to 2 years old, it should be noted that irregular breastfeeding or long time with nipple to sleep will increase the child’s risk of dental caries. 2, artificial feeding precautions: in the absence of breast milk or breastfeeding produces mental stress and other circumstances, should be taken to artificial feeding. The bottle is a tool for artificial feeding. Bottle feeding should be selected for the age of the baby’s nipple, to avoid too large a hole in the milk flow too fast, infants and young children do not need to suck out, so that the chewing muscles do not get the exercise they deserve; breastfeeding is best to hold the baby to feed the parents to hold the bottle, do not press the bottle on the upper front teeth, so as not to affect the maxillofacial development; inappropriate bottle feeding is very likely to lead to dental caries in infants and young children, infants and young children should not at any time contain a bottle containing milk or other sweet drinks as a consolation, the bottle is a good way to avoid the risk of dental caries. sweet drinks as a placebo at any time, especially at bedtime; after the child is 1 year old parents should encourage the child to drink from a cup. Parents should go to children’s dentistry for examination and treatment when they find caries, swelling, pain, developmental abnormalities and other diseases in children’s teeth, in addition to going to the dental hospital if they find signs of developmental delays and when there are no special problems in the pediatric examination. Some more tips about your child’s dietary structure and oral health: 1. Ask your pediatric dentist for help in evaluating your child’s dietary structure; 2. Shop with care. Don’t keep sugary or starchy snacks in the food cupboard, those things are only bought at special times; 3, limit the number of snacks; choose nutritious snacks; 4, provide balanced recipes, sugary and starchy foods are only eaten at the time of the three meals; 5, don’t give your baby milk, formula or juice and all other sweet drinks when putting him or her to bed; 6, your child chews gum and drinks carbonated beverages. All should choose sugar-free.