Tooronga Family Dentistry in Glen Iris

Learn how breastfeeding affects your baby’s dental health and risk of early childhood caries in Glen Iris

Breastfeeding and Dental Health: What Parents Should Know

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life provides extensive nutritional and health benefits. Continued breastfeeding until two years of age or beyond, alongside complementary foods, is recommended to support healthy growth and development.

While the benefits of breastfeeding are well established, current guidelines provide limited direction regarding when to cease breastfeeding or how feeding patterns influence dental health — particularly in relation to early childhood caries.

Health and Oral Benefits of Breastfeeding

Extensive research links breastfeeding to a reduction in infections and improved long-term health outcomes. Breastfed children exhibit lower rates of ear infections (otitis media), respiratory illnesses, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition, one U.S.-based study found that breastfed infants experience 21% lower post-neonatal mortality rates compared to formula-fed infants.

For mothers, breastfeeding is associated with lower risks of breast and ovarian cancer, enhanced maternal recovery, and overall improved family health outcomes — benefits that extend to the broader community through reduced healthcare costs.

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Early Childhood Caries and Infant Feeding

Early Childhood Caries refers to decay in one or more baby teeth in children under six years old. ECC increases children’s risk of future dental problems, causes discomfort, and can negatively impact speech, growth, and school performance.

Key risk factors include:

  • High sugar intake from bottle feeding, juices, and sweetened drinks.

  • Poor oral hygiene habits.

  • Frequent night-time feeding with milk or formula.

  • Low fluoride exposure from water supply.

These challenges are especially common among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Understanding proper infant feeding techniques, including responsible breastfeeding and bottle use, helps reduce caries risk.

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Breastfeeding Duration and Cavities

There is limited evidence linking breastfeeding itself to tooth decay. However, research suggests that prolonged or on-demand nighttime feeding beyond 18 months may increase caries risk. A Japanese study found a higher prevalence of caries in children breastfed beyond 18 months compared to those weaned at six months. This may result from reduced levels of protective minerals (like calcium and phosphate) in breast milk over time. Dr. Kaufman encourages breastfeeding while counseling parents on balanced feeding practices, reduced sugar exposure, and consistent oral hygiene.

Bottle Feeding, Infant Formula, and Caries Risk

Prolonged bottle feeding, especially with milk or formulas containing added sugars, can contribute to cavities. During night feeding, milk may pool around teeth, allowing caries froming bacteria to thrive. Parents should avoid giving bottles overnight unless they contain plain water. Studies show that both bovine milk and soy-based infant formulas can reduce pH in the mouth, leading to enamel break down. Infant formulas are generally cause more decay than breast milk due to higher sugar and carbohydrate concentrations. If parents use infant formula, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends mixing it with cooled, boiled tap water to ensure safety, fluoride exposure, and optimal dental protection.

Breastfeeding, Fluoride, and Infant Oral Care

In the past, concerns were raised about a link between infant formula and fluorosis. However, since the early 1990s, manufacturers have reduced fluoride levels in infant formula powders, easing these concerns. Current research shows no significant difference in fluorosis rates between formula-fed and breastfed infants when fluoridated water is used.​

Parents should:

  • Begin cleaning baby teeth as soon as they erupt.

  • Use a soft infant toothbrush and a rice-grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

  • Avoid prolonged night feeding after teeth appear.

  • Encourage daytime feeding with breaks for water.

Supporting Parents in Feeding Choices

Feeding decisions are deeply personal and often influenced by lifestyle, emotional, and cultural factors. While dental professionals can guide families, the ultimate choice lies with parents. Encouraging a judgment-free, evidence-based approach helps caregivers feel supported. Discussing dental care within broader parenting and nutrition contexts empowers families to make well-informed decisions for their child’s health and wellbeing.

If you need more help and support for your baby’s dental health please ask Dr. Kaufman or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

Charcoal Toothpaste: Hype vs. Facts in Oral Care in Glen Iris

Charcoal has taken the oral care industry by storm—ads, social media posts, and articles claim that charcoal-infused toothpaste whitens teeth and freshens breath better than any other product available. But what’s the real story behind the trend?

Activated charcoal is a fine-grained powder made from wood, coconut shells, and other natural substances oxidized under extreme heat. Its main property is high abrasiveness.

A thorough review in the British Dental Journal (2019) found that charcoal offers little protection against tooth decay and there’s limited scientific evidence to support its other health claims. In fact, powdered charcoal in toothpaste can be harmful—it strips away tooth enamel, lightening the tooth’s visible color but also increasing sensitivity and risk of staining over time. If you use charcoal toothpaste, you must brush very gently to avoid wearing down the enamel surface.

Additional findings shared by the BBC highlight that overuse of charcoal toothpaste in patients with fillings allows particles to infiltrate and darken them, as well as accumulate in the gums and irritate them. Most charcoal-infused and “natural” toothpastes do not contain fluoride, which is essential for cavity prevention.

Key summary:

  • Charcoal toothpaste is too abrasive for daily use.

  • Most charcoal brands lack fluoride.

  • It may aggravate staining on teeth.

  • Charcoal can negatively affect dental restorations, such as fillings.

If you want to know more about whitening your teeth or selecting a whitening toothpaste, please make an appointment with Dr. Kaufman to explore the safest and most effective options for your smile.

Is tooth paste needed for good oral hygiene?

What’s In Your Toothpaste? How Ingredients Affect Oral Health

Standard (non-organic) toothpaste usually contains:

  • Abrasives to clean bacterial film and debris off teeth. Common abrasives include calcium carbonate, dehydrated silica gels, hydrated aluminum oxides, magnesium carbonate, phosphate salts, and silicates. Silica is often the whitening agent in most whitening toothpastes.

  • Detergents that create the foamy sensation, like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium N-Lauryl sarcosinate.

  • Fluoride at different strengths—children’s toothpaste contains less fluoride than adult formulas.

  • Flavoring compounds, including sweeteners such as saccharine.

  • Special ingredients for specific conditions, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate for tartar control, potassium nitrate or strontium chloride for sensitive teeth, stannous fluoride and triclosan for reducing gum inflammation and removing plaque.

  • Moistening agents to keep the paste soft and easy to squeeze out, such as glycerol, propylene glycol, and sorbitol.

  • Binders to prevent ingredient separation—mineral colloids, natural gums, seaweed colloids, or synthetic cellulose.

Organic toothpaste tends to be paraben-free and sulfate-free, without Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate or artificial colors/flavors. It may have natural preservatives. If you frequently get tiny pimples or rashes around your lips, or canker sores inside your mouth, consider switching to organic toothpaste that is free from Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate, as some people are sensitive or allergic to these additives.

Do You Need Toothpaste to Clean Your Teeth?

Dental plaque is a sticky, colorless biofilm of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on teeth. Plaque is acidic and will break down tooth enamel and dentine, causing cavities. It can also irritate gums, causing gingivitis, infections, and eventual tooth loss.

Brushing with a product designed for a fresh mouth feels great, but for practical cleaning, toothpaste isn’t strictly necessary. You can remove food debris and plaque simply with a soft toothbrush and good brushing techniques. Flossing, limiting sugary foods and drinks, and regular dental checkups keep your teeth healthy and strong.

How does your diet impact your oral health?

Diet and Your Dental Health: Smart Choices for Healthy Teeth and Gums

Everything you eat and drink affects your teeth and gums—especially when it comes to the risk of tooth decay. Tooth decay is driven by bacteria that feed on sugars in your food and drinks, producing acids that attack the outer enamel layer.

To keep your diet from harming your dental health, here are key points to remember:

Drink Plenty of Water
Water is calorie-free, stress-free, and very affordable! In most Australian areas, tap water includes fluoride—one of the easiest and most effective ways to help prevent tooth decay. Bottled water typically lacks fluoride due to filtration. Regularly sipping water throughout the day is a simple step for better oral health.

Limit Snacking Between Meals
Saliva is vital for neutralising acid attacks and helping teeth recover after eating. Frequent snacking means your teeth get less rest from those attacks, increasing your risk for decay. Keep sugary treats to mealtimes rather than snacking between meals.

Be Mindful of Hidden Sugars
It’s not only obvious sweets like lollies or sodas that cause decay—other snack foods such as biscuits, crackers, cereals, chips, and dried fruit also contain sugars that can initiate acid attacks on enamel.

Consider Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing sugar-free gum (never gum with sugar) after meals boosts saliva production. A 20-minute chew after eating can help neutralise harmful acids and support enamel health.

What Is Fluorosis? Glen Iris Dental Guide from Tooronga Family Dentistry

What is fluorosis?

During the formation of our teeth and bones fluoride can become embedded in them as part of their mineral content. Normally the mineral content of the teeth and the bones is hydroxy apatite which is made of calcium, phosphate and hydroxyl ions. But if fluoride ions are present, during the formation of these tissues, they can replace the hydroxyl ones and form a crystal called fluoro-apatite, which can interfere with the proper formation of the teeth and bones. This the reason why ingesting high doses of fluoride will lead to the formation of floor-apatite in the teeth.

When we are born our “baby” and permanent teeth are already forming under our gums in the jawbone. An overexposure to fluoride during the pregnancy or during the first eight years of life, will lead to changes in the formation of the teeth and the appearance of stains – these stains are called fluorosis. There can be different stains ranging from yellow to dark brown and there can be pits and surface irregularities depending on the severity of the affliction.

How to prevent Fluorosis?

The introduction of fluoride to drinking water is one of the great preventive disease programs of the 20th century. But the addition of fluoride to the water can make any additional fluoride ingested a risk factor for fluorosis. That is why other sources of fluoride in the diet need to be checked for their fluoride content, these are tooth paste, seafood, fruit juices, formula milk and tea. Since all the ingested fluoride can add up, it is important to know how much fluoride your child consumes. To prevent fluorosis your child should not consume more than the daily amounts a person can safely ingest.

Here are the safe limits for daily consumption as published by the National Health and Medical health council:

For infants:

0-6 months 0.01 mg/day
7-12 months 0.50 mg/day

For children

All
1-3 yr 0.7 mg/day
4-8 yr 1.0 mg/day
Boys
9-13 yr 2.0 mg/day
14-18 yr 3.0 mg/day
Girls
9-13 yr 2.0 mg/day
14-18 yr 3.0 mg/day

For Adults:

Men
19-30 yr 4 mg/day
31-50 yr 4 mg/day
51-70 yr 4 mg/day
>70 yr 4 mg/day
Women
19-30 yr 3 mg/day
31-50 yr 3 mg/day
51-70 yr 3 mg/day
>70 yr 3 mg/day

Treatment
Since fluorosis affects the structure and appearance of teeth. It will cause unsightly stains and may result in cavities . As a result, the treatment for fluorosis is to remove the surface of the stained areas and restore the teeth with resin restorations or veneers.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have more questions about fluorosis or to make an appointment to see Dr. Kaufman Daniel at Tooronga Family Dentistry to have .