Dental Tips to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Care of teeth should start at a young age so that your children could enjoy a good oral health for a life time. Number of problems can affect the oral health of your child including tooth decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking and early tooth loss. Though the permanent teeth replace the baby teeth but keeping baby teeth healthy will help to develop stronger permanent teeth and as well eliminate the enamel defects.

What do you mean by Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Baby bottle tooth decay also known as nursing caries, childhood caries and nursing bottle syndrome, occurs if baby’s teeth remain in constant contact with sugars from fruit juices, milk formula, sugar water or any other sweet drink. The unswallowed milk in breast-fed infants’ mouth can put them into risk for tooth decay. Sugars in the mouth, present a breeding ground for the bacteria which ultimately results into tooth decay.

What happens if baby bottle tooth decay left untreated?

If left untreated, early tooth decay can lead to various other problems including:

• Decayed tooth cause pain, thus making it difficult for a child to chew and eat properly.
• Baby teeth are also ‘space savers’ for adult teeth. But if they are damaged or destroyed earlier, permanent teeth cannot get placed into proper position, hence resulting in crowded or crooked permanent teeth.
• Poorly destroyed or decayed teeth could lead to a tooth abscess, and this infection may spread elsewhere in the body also.

How can you prevent your child’s tooth decay?

You can prevent your child’s tooth decay by following below mentioned steps:

• Do not give your child a bottle filled with sugary liquids or milk to calm or comfort him during the day. Give plain water or substitute it with a pacifier.
• Do not dip your child’s pacifier in the sugar, honey or any other sugary liquid at anytime of the day.
• Do not put child to bed with a bottle filled with sugary liquids, give small amount of water or use a pacifier; as too much of water is also harmful.
• While sleeping, do not nurse your baby continuously throughout the night because breast milk also contains sugar and can cause tooth decay.
• Do not add sugar to your baby’s food.
• Make sure to wipe your child’s teeth and gums with a wet cloth or gauze after each feeding. This helps to remove any excess sugar or bacteria forming plaque that have built-up on teeth and gums.
• Take your dentist’s counsel about the fluoride needs of your baby. If fluoride is not present in your water, fluoride supplements or fluoride treatments may be suggested or needed.
• Educate your baby to drink from a feeder cup by his or her first birthday. It will reduce their teeth’s exposure to sugars.
• Do not feed sweets to your child very often and in large amount and particularly not before bedtime. As during sleep, saliva flow reduces.
• Give your child tangerines, bananas, pieces of cucumber or carrot sticks at snack time. You can also try other healthy snacks like rice cakes, toast and plain pop-corn. Dried fruits should be given occasionally as they tend to stick to their teeth.
• Do not give your child fizzy drinks as they contain large amounts of sugar and acids as well which can erode tooth’s outer surface.
• Avoid giving fruit-flavoured, baby juices’ to your babies and particularly in feeding bottles.
• Always ask for sugar-free medicine, particularly the cough syrups, from your doctor.

Baby bottle tooth decay is the most common childhood disease worldwide. Contact Dr. Sikander Singh D.M.D. at Aesthetic Dental Arts for any of your child’s oral health related issues. Our diligent dentist will educate you about preventive care to safeguard your child against oral health problems.