Before your baby was born, he began growing his primary, or baby, teeth. This happened during the second trimester of your pregnancy.

That means when your baby is born, if your prenatal diet did not include adequate amounts of Vitamin D, your newborn is at higher risk of having tooth decay by age 16 months.

If you believe your child might be at risk, begin to clean his mouth regularly as a newborn so he will be comfortable with your cleaning his mouth by the time his teeth emerge.

Primary teeth begin to emerge at age 3 to 6 months, and should be wiped clean daily until you begin to brush your baby’s teeth.

A healthy balanced diet during pregnancy is your best option for getting all the vitamins and minerals you and your baby need to be healthy. There are very few food sources of naturally occurring Vitamin D; most food sources, such as milk, have had Vitamin D added to them.

Prenatal vitamins provide a good safety net, ensuring that you receive any vitamins or minerals that might be low in your diet. In addition, our bodies produce Vitamin D in response to sun exposure.

To boost your Vitamin D intake, be sure to get several servings of fortified dairy foods each day, and always take your prenatal vitamin. A little safe exposure to the sun each day can also be beneficial, but avoid prolonged exposure, getting sunburned or getting too hot.

Related posts:

1. The Risks of Not Knowing You’re Pregnant
2. Trying To Get Pregnant? What To Eat And What To Avoid?
3. The Risks of Not Knowing You’re Pregnant (Part 2)
4. What Prenatal Tests Should You Consider?
5. A childproof world: Losing weight after pregnancy