Beware of Dental Caries in Children, Parents are Asked to Be More Careful in Choosing Formula Milk

JAKARTA - Dental caries in children is still a very high health problem in Indonesia. This condition is generally triggered by the habit of consuming excessive sugar and lack of early dental care.

Without realizing it, daily eating patterns, including the intake of formula milk, also contribute to the risk of tooth decay if not properly taken care of.

In the midst of this condition, parents can no longer choose formula milk based only on the claims of benefits that are written on the front of the packaging. Data from the Ministry of Health shows that about 93% of Indonesian children suffer from tooth decay. An unhealthy eating pattern is one of the contributing factors, not only for caries, but also for the risk of other diseases such as diabetes later.

Therefore, it is important for parents to understand that the quality of formula milk is not enough to be judged from labels such as "support growth and development" or "high calcium". What is more crucial is to pay attention to the composition of the ingredients, additional content, and the production process of the product. Considering that formula milk is consumed regularly, this choice can affect the child's health in the long term.

Consultant Pediatric Specialist, dr. Reza Fahlevi, Sp.A(K), emphasized the importance of changing the way of thinking in choosing formula milk.

"Parents should not stop at the claims on the packaging. What must be understood is the composition of the product as a whole. Because from there we can see the quality of the source of nutrients that children actually consume every day," said Dr. Reza in a press statement to VOI.

The first thing to consider is the main ingredients in the composition. Generally, the ingredients listed in the initial order indicate the highest content in the product. If fresh milk is the main ingredient, this indicates that the main source of nutrients comes from milk, which contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, as well as various micronutrients important for child growth.

However, attention should not stop there. Parents also need to pay attention to additives such as maltodextrin, corn syrup, sucrose, and vanillin. These ingredients are often used in formula milk, but can affect the nutritional content while forming the child's taste preference for sweet foods.

Maltodextrin, for example, is a processed carbohydrate that is quickly converted into sugar in the body. Meanwhile, corn syrup and sucrose are sources of added sugar that can increase children's daily sugar intake. Vanillin itself serves as a flavor enhancer to strengthen the taste. Although not a major nutrient, exposure to sweetness early on has the potential to affect children's eating habits in the future.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasizes the importance of limiting sugar consumption in children, given its association with dental health problems and the risk of long-term diseases. With the high rate of tooth decay in Indonesia, attention to the sugar content in children's consumption products is becoming increasingly important.

In addition to composition, the production process of formula milk also needs to be considered. Too long or repeated heating processes can affect the quality of nutrition, including changes in protein structure and a decrease in levels of essential amino acids such as lysine. This can affect the nutritional value received by children.

On the other hand, Breast Milk (ASI) remains the best choice because it has the most ideal and easily absorbed nutritional composition, and contains antibodies that are important to protect children from various diseases. However, in certain conditions when ASI cannot be optimally provided, formula milk becomes an alternative that needs to be carefully chosen.

"Choosing formula milk is not just about brands or claims that sound convincing. It's about understanding what really goes into your child's body every day. It's time for parents to be more careful reading labels and more critical in choosing," concluded Reza.