Which item is NOT part of the recommended maternal preventive strategies to reduce vertical transmission of cariogenic bacteria?

• A. Optimal hygiene
• B. Dietary practices
• C. Fluorides
• D. Vitamin C supplementation

Answer: (D)

Reducing vertical transmission relies on shaping the mother's oral environment to lower the bacterial load she could pass to her child. Good oral hygiene directly reduces the amount of cariogenic bacteria in saliva and dental plaque, so close contact isn’t introducing as large an inoculum to the infant. Dietary practices that limit fermentable carbohydrates reduce substrate for those bacteria, slowing colonization and acid attack in the child’s developing dentition. Fluoride use, whether for the mother or the child, strengthens enamel and lowers caries risk, contributing to a less favorable environment for bacterial activity and subsequent transmission. Vitamin C supplementation, however, does not directly influence the transmission or colonization of cariogenic bacteria, so it isn’t considered part of the recommended maternal strategies for reducing vertical transmission.