Diet Counseling

Historically, diet has been suspected of influencing the etiology of dental caries and hence dietary history can be quiet useful for educating and motivation patients. Nutritional deficiencies can also be one of the the cause of dental caries like insufficient intake of phosphate, or improper dietary calcium-phosphate ratio, however, according to Key's etiology of caries can be understood as triad of interplay between host, microflora and substrate. Role of vitamins, proper diet strategies such as food guide pyramids, my plate concept are also crucial in determining caries likelihood but, the precise etiopathogenesis behind caries is still uncharted.In day-to-day practice of dentistry, dentist must provide patients with certain preventive recommendations which includes diet and diet counseling. Individuals with high risk caries or with active tooth decay need to be provided with counseling. Main objective of diet counseling in pediatric oral health is prevention sot that it helps parents change their children's dietary behaviour so that they choose a diet with low cariogenic meals in realistic way according to family's eating behaviour.