Proper nutrition in pregnancy has an impact on the health and well-being of the mother as well as is a key factor responsible for foetal development. After birth, the processes of growth and further development continue until early adulthood. Proper nutrition is of key importance for the general health at all stages of both pre- and postnatal life (1). The diet of a pregnant woman should contain all essential nutrients, which provide building material for the developing child as well as cover the energy needs of the mother. During pregnancy and lactation, there is an increased maternal demand not only for energy, but also for nutrients and the following minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, iodine, selenium and vitamins: A, B₁, B₂, niacin, choline, pantothenic acid, B₆, B₁₂, C, E, and folates. Improper nutrition during this period may involve excess consumption or inappropriate choice of food products (e.g. increased consumption of carbohydrates, products rich in protein and fats, insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption, replacing meals with confectionery), which may lead to insufficient vitamin and nutrient intake, and, consequently, maternal and foetal metabolic disorders. Although energy demand in the first trimester is the same as before conception, the requirement for different nutrients is much higher in this period. Since the foetus derives necessary compounds from the mother’s body, proper nutrition before conception, during pregnancy and lactation is necessary. The daily energy requirement increases by 360 kcal in the second trimester, and by 475 kcal in the third trimester compared to energy demand before pregnancy.

A well-balanced diet determines proper dental tissue formation and mineralisation as tooth buds begin to form during the embryonic period, with their further development and mineralisation continuing throughout pregnancy. Controlling maternal diet may help eliminate abnormalities in dental development associated with insufficient consumption of structural materials (1).

Furthermore, diet is an important element of caries prevention in pregnant women. The direct effects of nutritional habits on oral health status are due to the local action of food on the oral environment. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates is one of the risk factors for caries. Degradation of carbohydrates by cariogenic bacteria triggers the production of acids and oral pH drop, both of which affect dental tissue mineralisation. Consumption frequency and food consistency are also important for caries development.

The aim of the study was to develop dietary recommendations for prenatal maternal nutrition in the context of caries prevention in both mother and child.

We performed a review of research and recommendations of the World Health Organisation as well as teams of experts assessing the relationship between diet and oral hygiene in pregnant women and the presence of caries in their children was conducted by searching through databases, such as Pubmed, EMBASE and MEDLINE, using keywords such as “diet”, “dentition”, “pregnancy” and “oral health in pregnancy”. The following filters were used: English language, original papers, review paper, recommendations, and guidelines.

Proper nutrition before and during pregnancy may have an impact on child’s teeth. About 6 weeks after conception, deciduous teeth begin to form from foetal oral cells, which differentiate and divide to form a dental lamina, from which tooth buds will later develop. The process of dental mineralisation begins from the bell stage or at about 4 months gestation during dentin formation with enamel deposition (2, 3), which continues uninterrupted until adolescence (4).

Maternal systemic diseases, pharmacotherapy, nutrient deficiency or the effects of teratogens during pregnancy may affect deciduous and permanent teeth development both during pre- and postnatal life (5-8). For example, 83% of the enamel of central incisors, which erupt first, is already formed at birth. There is also a relationship between the dietary supply of different nutrients and the critical phase of dental mineralisation, which already begins at 4 months gestation. An insufficient level of mineralisation is a risk factor for early childhood caries (ECC) or enamel development disorders, which are also considered to be factors predisposing to ECC (9, 10).

Proper structure of mineralised dental tissues, which determines resistance to caries, primarily depends on the sufficient supply of mineral salts, such as calcium, phosphorus, fluorine, magnesium, molybdenum, manganese and vitamins, particularly vitamin A, C and D (11, 12).