Is it good for babies to drink yogurt? What effect does drinking yogurt have on babies' teeth?

Recently, the number of infants and young children suffering from tooth decay has gradually increased, which is usually caused by parents' improper diet, especially the belief that drinking more yogurt is good for health. So is drinking yogurt good for babies' teeth? What effects does drinking yogurt have on babies' teeth?

Is yogurt good for babies' teeth?

Studies have shown that if infants and young children drink too much yogurt or cheese products, it will accelerate tooth decay and is more likely to cause tooth decay. A survey conducted by Japanese experts on the oral condition of infants and young children showed that children who drank yogurt at least four times a week were 22% more likely to develop tooth decay within three years than those who drank yogurt only once a week or did not drink yogurt at all. British scientists also conducted further scientific research surveys. In a survey of 30,000 children, in addition to differences in diet, differences in living habits in the family environment also had a certain impact on dental health. The incidence of oral diseases in children living in poverty was twice that of children living in wealth, which may have a lot to do with the fact that poor children cannot brush their teeth frequently.

As babies drink yogurt, the rate of tooth decay increases. This is the effect of certain bacteria in lactic acid bacteria. Those bacteria will adhere to the surface of baby teeth, corroding and damaging the baby's teeth. So it is not that babies cannot drink yogurt, but they should rinse their mouths in time to reduce the probability of tooth decay.

When your baby drinks yogurt during the day, you should let him rinse his mouth in time to keep his mouth clean. If your baby drinks yogurt at night, you must let him brush his teeth before going to bed to keep his teeth clean.

Effects of drinking yogurt on babies' teeth

There are many types of yogurt drinks, and their common feature is that they all contain lactic acid bacteria. If you drink too much and don't rinse your mouth in time, it may cause tooth decay. This is because the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt are easily mixed with mucin and food debris in saliva, and firmly adhere to the surface of teeth and pits and fissures, forming plaque, which can easily cause decalcification and dissolution of tooth enamel surface, forming tooth decay. In addition, teeth have a low tolerance to acid. When the pH value in the mouth is high, it is easy to corrode the enamel on the surface of teeth, causing tooth decalcification and ultimately tooth decay.

For teenagers, especially children, avoid excessive consumption of yogurt and carbonated drinks, and it is best not to exceed two boxes each time. The most important thing is to develop good living habits. After drinking yogurt, you must rinse your mouth with clean water. Some people like to rinse their mouths with drinks, which is unscientific.

Precautions for babies drinking yogurt

Yogurt is not suitable for babies under six months old

Yogurt contains less calcium, and newborns are growing and developing and need a lot of calcium. In addition, the antibiotics produced by lactic acid bacteria in yogurt can inhibit and eliminate many pathogenic microorganisms, but at the same time, they also destroy the growth conditions of beneficial bacteria for the human body and affect normal digestive function, especially for infants with gastroenteritis and premature infants. Moreover, giving babies yogurt too early will also develop their preference for sweets.

Yogurt is not a substitute for formula milk

Formula milk is closest to breast milk in terms of ingredients and is the most suitable milk substitute for babies besides breast milk. Yogurt is just pure milk that is easier for the human body to digest and absorb. It does not reach the nutritional level of formula milk and does not meet the nutritional needs of infants and young children.

Drink yogurt two hours after a meal

The pH value suitable for the growth of lactic acid bacteria is above 5.4. When the baby is on an empty stomach, the pH value of gastric juice is below 2. If the baby drinks yogurt at this time, the lactic acid bacteria will be easily killed.

Rinse your mouth immediately after drinking yogurt

With the development of lactic acid beverages, the rate of dental caries in children is also increasing, which is dominated by certain bacteria in lactic acid bacteria.

For bagged yogurt, pour it out before drinking

When eating packaged yogurt, it is very unhygienic to let children tear the packaging bag directly with their teeth. Sometimes, although merchants provide straws, the straws are often exposed to the air and are difficult to ensure hygiene.

Do not heat yogurt before drinking

Active lactic acid bacteria in yogurt will die in large numbers if heated or diluted with boiling water. If you are worried that yogurt taken out of the refrigerator may irritate your baby's stomach, you may want to leave it at room temperature for one or two hours before letting your baby drink it.

Yogurt should not be taken with certain medicines

Antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, erythromycin, sulfonamides and drugs for treating diarrhea will kill or destroy the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt.