Is breastmilk (vs. formula) better for a babys teeth development?
Breastmilk is perfectly designed for a human baby! Formula, no matter how good, will only ever come a distant second. Breastmilk and formula are both high in sugar (energy vital for your baby), but it is the method of consuming the drink that can lead to tooth decay. Breastfeeding babies suck the milk right down to the back of their throat and swallow. Bottle feeding allows the milk to pool in their mouth around their teeth which is where decay can become a problem. If a baby has “a feed” where she drinks for 20 minutes (or 10 minutes or 40 minutes – whatever) then stops, the problems caused by sugar are minimal. If you leave your baby with a bottle to suck on while going to sleep, or while playing etc, there is much more damage to the teeth caused by the sugars sitting there for ages. The “single feed” is much more common with breastfeeding, while leaving the baby with a bottle for ages is more of a problem with bottle feeding. Remember juice is also full of sugar and should always be
