1) The document discusses nutrition and its importance for dental health in children. It covers the major nutrients of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. 2) Specific nutrients are described in more detail, including their functions, dietary sources, and effects of deficiencies. For example, protein deficiency can cause retarded growth and decrease resistance to infection. 3) Guidelines are provided for establishing healthy eating habits in children, such as avoiding forced feeding and excessive intake of certain foods. Maintaining good nutrition is important for proper dental development and overall health.

1. ‫الرحيم‬ ‫الرحمن‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫بسم‬
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2. College of Dentistry
Pedodontic III
Nutrition and Dental Health -1-
Dr. Hazem El Ajrami
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3. • Nutrition is that science which deals with food,
nutrients, and their role in attaining and
maintaining health.
• If the child's first dental visit occurs at the
recommended age of approximately 3 years,
one can find that the dental practitioner has a
wonderful opportunity to observe the child
during one of the most dynamic periods of
growth.
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4. • It is recognized that early malnutrition causes
retarded physical growth and may impair
learning and behaviour of children. Although a
complete physical examination of the patient is
not within the scope of the dentist, many
things can be learned about the patient just by
observing the physical appearance and by
asking the parents a few well-chosen questions
concerning eating, sleeping, and hygiene
habits. Healthy, normal children should have a
fairly regular pattern of eating, and sleeping.
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5. • If parent mentions that the child does not rest
well or is nervous and emotional, one could
suspect that the child may have a feeding
problem as well, observation of the skin, hair,
nails, and muscular tone, for example, can
provide clues to determine whether the child is
well nourished.
• The use of a diet survey is valuable for
providing information regarding eating habits
and their relation to dental caries.
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6.  Basic Rules for Feeding Children
Satisfactorily:
1) Avoid forced feeding.
2) Discourage between meals eating so that good
eating habits will be established.
3) Avoid discussion that attaches any undue
importance to a particular food.
4) Avoid excessive milk intake.
5) Avoid excessive intake of refined
carbohydrates.
6) Make mealtime a pleasant family social event.
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7.  Constituents of an adequate Diet:
The nutrients are the chemical components,
which enable food to perform its function.
They are classified into six major groups,
protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins,
minerals and water.
I. Proteins:
Proteins are nutrients, specifically
required by the body for growth, tissue repair,
and synthesis of many constituents of the
body such as antibodies, hormones and
enzymes.7

8. • There are twenty-two amino acids that, in
varying proportions and combinations, form the
proteins. Those that cannot be synthesized in the
body to meet daily requirements are termed
"indispensable". Those that can be formed by
the degradation of an indispensable amino acid,
such as tyrosine from phenylalanine, are labeled
"semidispensable" amino acids. Those amino
acids that are synthesized in the body in
amounts sufficient to meet daily requirements
are termed "dispensable" it has been shown that
to promote optimum protein synthesis, all amino
acids should be present in favorable ratios.
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9. • To accomplish this, it is much more efficient to
obtain the amino acids through a well-chosen,
adequate diet than to depend on the synthesis of
the missing semidispensable or dispensable
amino acid from the indispensable amino acid
within the body.
• In general, animal proteins are more complete
and of higher biologic value than are plant
proteins.
• The requirement for protein varies according to
the condition present during early growth
periods. The requirement for protein may be as
high as 4 to 5 grams / kg body weight per day.
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10.  Effects of Protein Deficiency:
1) Retarded growth.
2) Decrease mental and physical function.
3) Decrease resistance to infection.
 Significance of protein deficiency in dental
surgery:
1) Delay wound healing.
2) Prolong the period of convalescence.
3) Increase secondary infection.
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11. II. Carbohydrates:
 Regardless of the role some carbohydrates
have in the etiology of dental caries, the
importance of carbohydrates in nutrition is
great. The major function of carbohydrates
is to provide energy for the chemical work
of the body.
 In addition, the carbohydrates, especially
the dextrans, provide an environment for
the promotion of a favorable intestinal
flora.
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12. Carbohydrates are present in all foods in
varying amount, but the major sources are
considered to be the grains and the products
made from them (such as cereals, bread,
crackers) and the starchy plants (such as
potatoes, com, peas, and beans). A considerable
amount of carbohydrate in the from lactose is
obtained from milk.
Carbohydrates are of special significance in
modern nutrition because their chief source
grains and sugar are subjected to refining or
processing.
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13. These refined products retain their energy value
but they are partly or completely deficient in
protein, minerals and vitamins.
Foods, which supply calories but lack vitamins, are
sugar, jams, corn flour, biscuits, and fleaked
cereals. Carbohydrates foods, which are rich
source of calories and vitamins, are peas, beans,
lentils, potatoes, and unpolished rice.
Daily requirements:
 40- 60 of the total calories.
 The quality or source of the carbohydrates is of
greater importance than the amount consumed.13

14. III. Fat:
The main function of dietary fat is to:
1. Supply energy in a fairly condensed form.
One gram of protein or carbohydrate
furnishes only about four calories.
2. Fats supply the essential fatty acids that are
needed by the body for optimum growth and
maintenance of tissue.
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15. 3. Fats also serve as vehicles for the fat-soluble
vitamins that are obtained naturally in foods.
4. Retard the secretion of gastric juice and tends
to delay gastric emptying and delay the
sensation of hunger. It reduces the desire for
frequent in-between meal snacks.
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16. Dental implication of an adequate fat in take:
An adequate fat intake at breakfast and lunch
decrease the need for between meal snacks. Oils
and emulsified fats such as those in milk and fats
with a melting point at or below body
temperature because of their low surface tension
tend to form a film over the surfaces of teeth. A
fatty film helps to protect the enamel surface
from acid formed in dental plaque and food
debris.
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17. IV. Vitamins:
1) Fat soluble vitamins:
Vitamin A is associated with the tissues
of epithelial origin such as the skin, hair,
eyes, and mucosal epithelium. It is an
important vitamin in tooth formation
because of the epithelial origin of the
enamel organ.
Vitamin A occurs in milk, eggs, and
meat, especially liver, precursors in the
yellow-pigmented vegetables such as
carrots.17

18.  Dental and oral effect of vitamin A
deficiency:
Up to the age of seven years, vitamin A
deficiency may cause disturbances in the
developing tooth germ. When a prolonged
vitamin A deficiency is present during enamel
formation the function of ameloblasts is
affected resulting in enamel hypoplasia.
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19. • Vitamin D is necessary for normal calcification
of osseous tissues and is important in the
development of healthy bones and teeth. A
deficiency of vitamin D in children is one of the
causes of rickets. Daily requirement of vitamin
D depends on the amount of exposure to
sunlight. Under ordinary conditions 400 I.U./
day satisfies the requirement, when outdoors
activities where restricted for a prolonged period
800 I.U./day are needed.
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20.  Dental effects of vitamin D deficiency:
1) Deficient calcification leading to widening of
predentin zone and presence of interglobular
dentin.
2) Delay eruption.
 Vitamin D and dental caries:
It seems to decrease dental caries if the
vitamin is given during development of the
teeth. If it is given after eruption, the onset and
spread of caries is delayed.
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21. • Vitamin E is important as an antioxidant. It
thus protects vitamin A, which is easily
destroyed by oxidation. The antioxidant
properties of vitamin E may also prevent the
hemolysis of erythrocytes by tissue peroxides.
The best sources of vitamin E are the seen
grain oils such as wheat germ oil, oysters and
eggs are also sources of this vitamin.
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22. • Vitamin K is known as the antihemorrhagic
vitamin. Because of its role in the blood-clotting
mechanism. In deficiency of vitamin K, plasma
prothrombin activity is decreased, which in turn,
increases the clotting time of the blood.
Therefore, serious hemorrhages may occur in
vitamin K deficiency.
• Vitamin K is obtained naturally in several ways.
Bacterial synthesis in the intestine normally
supplies an adequate amount in humans. In
food, vitamin K is obtained from green leafy
vegetables. Liver is an excellent source.
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23. Thank You
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