Today we are increasingly better informed and have a greater awareness of health in general and of nutrition.
That's why today we're highlighting the importance of infant feeding, which is the foundation of true preventative orthodontics. We emphasize the importance of breastfeeding, because sucking is one of the most crucial oral functions for a baby's development! This prepares the speech organs for other important functions such as chewing and clear, articulated speech. Trying to avoid pacifier use and starting complementary feeding at the appropriate time are some other important points.
It may happen that breastfeeding is not always possible, and in that case, bottle feeding is the only option. In these situations, the hole in the bottle nipple should never be enlarged. This would increase the milk flow, and the baby would not need to exert adequate neuromuscular effort. Ideal muscle tone in the oral neuromuscular structures is achieved through vigorous and rhythmic sucking.
But we must also keep in mind that babies naturally breathe through their noses. It's common for certain conditions to develop that cause a baby to temporarily breathe through their mouth, which is why we must be vigilant in detecting any changes in respiratory development early, to prevent the development of chronic mouth breathing.
We must be demanding and remember that it is important to take the baby to the pediatric dentist as soon as the first teeth appear.
