Cow Milk Beats Breast Milk For Healthy Teeth, Study Says

Experts have long hailed breast-feeding as the healthiest feeding method for newborns. However, not all the news is good news.

New research in rats suggests that breast milk causes more cavities in infants and toddlers than cow milk.

Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y., also found that cola, sucrose and honey were by far the worst fluids for young teeth. Their findings are published in the October issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The study warns parents to stop letting babies drink sugary liquids from bottles, or to sweeten water with honey, which has been promoted as good for dental health, or to let babies fall asleep on the nipple.

Despite the findings, the researchers don't advocate switching from breast-feeding to cow milk. Instead, they said nursing mothers need to help their young ones have good oral hygiene after feedings, especially when the infant's first teeth have begun to emerge.

"In families where cavities are prevalent, there's also an urgent need to avoid feeding all night once the teeth have erupted," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, author of "Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession," and professor at the university.

The findings confirm previous research showing that human milk is no worse for teeth than many infant formulas.

Scientists suggest that the cavity-causing difference between human milk and cow milk may be the mineral content in human milk.