Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay is something that happens to a baby’s teeth when the teeth are exposed to sugary drinks. The sugar can be either artificial or natural–it doesn’t matter. This sort of decay can pose serious risks to the health of your infant’s teeth and harm their “baby” teeth for the long run.

Poorly maintained baby teeth can even harm their adult teeth. In this article, we will talk about baby bottle tooth decay. We will discuss the causes and repercussions of untreated baby bottle tooth decay as well as what can be done in order to stave it off.

What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Tooth decay in babies and young children is often called baby bottle tooth decay. This tooth decay often comes about when a sweetened drink or other liquid gets onto your baby’s teeth and clings to it for a period of time. These liquids can contain added sugar such as with sweetened fruit juice or natural sugars that come with milk, natural fruit juice and formula. The bacteria that are naturally in the mouth do well in environments that have a lot of sugar; they then create acid that eats away at the teeth.

Children who are most at risk of developing baby bottle tooth decay are the ones that have their pacifiers dipped in syrup or sugar frequently. It is also advised that you not give children any sugary drinks when it is time for them to nap and especially not at night. This is because when they sleep, the flow of saliva is significantly decreased. While baby bottle tooth decay usually happens in the front upper teeth, the other teeth can still be affected as well.

Why Baby Teeth Are Important

Just because baby teeth are temporary it does not mean that they are not important. Baby teeth are needed for helping your child to talk, eat and smile. These teeth are also important placeholders for the teeth that come in when they are adults.

If a child gets baby bottle tooth decay and it is left untreated, an infection that causes discomfort and pain may occur. The chances of the baby having to have their teeth removed because of this decay are high.

If the teeth become lost or infected too early in their childhood due to this condition, your child may have problems with poor eating habits, crooked teeth or even damaged adult teeth. Furthermore, the chances that their adult teeth will be crooked are increased significantly.

There are ways that you can help stop baby bottle tooth decay, though. Read on to learn more.

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Below, we will give you a few tips on how to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.

  • Wipe down your baby’s gums with a clean washcloth or gauze pad after every time you feed them
  • Start brushing the child’s teeth without toothpaste as soon as his or her first tooth comes in. If you want to use some sort of toothpaste, use a toothpaste that is fluoride free
  • Massage and clean all areas of the gums without teeth thoroughly.
  • Once all of the baby teeth have come in, be sure you are flossing them.
  • Ensure that your child is getting enough fluoride; this can help lessen the chances of them getting cavities. If your water supply does not have any fluoride, ask your dentist or doctor if you should be using a supplement.
  • Take your child in for a regular dental visit by their very first birthday. Dentists can and do recommend application of a special sealant coating, which can help stop or stave off tooth decay in children.

Here are a few additional ways to stop baby bottle tooth decay.

  • Be sure that you do not put sugar water and soft drinks or sweetened fruit juices into their bottles. Remember that bottles are intended only for milk, formula, water and electrolyte-containing drinks when the child comes down with diarrhea. Juices diluted with water to avoid too much sugar and calories are a good way to make your child use a sippy cup. Sodas are not good for children or your children’s teeth. This is because they are full of sugar and hold no nutritional value.
  • Do not ever let your child go to sleep with a bottle that has anything but water inside of it.
  • Do not let your child have a pacifier that has been dipped in anything sweet.
  • Reduce the sugar in your child’s diet, especially when they are in between meals.

Tips for Taking Care of and Brushing Your Baby’s teeth

  • Take note of these tips in order to keep your baby’s mouth as healthy as can be.
  • Begin brushing their teeth as soon as their first tooth comes in. This can sometimes take as long as 15 to 18 months.
  • Brush their teeth and gums twice a day. It is important that you brush them in the morning when they wake up and again at night before they go to bed. You can use a toothbrush specifically designed for a baby to accomplish this.
  • Use a small amount of toothpaste with fluoride in it. This will help you avoid giving your child too much fluoride before their bodies are ready for it. Just use a thin amount of toothpaste. You want something that is as small as a grain of rice.
  • Brush carefully. Brush both the inside and the outside of the baby’s teeth and gums gently. They may begin to become less sensitive to the idea over time. Try to brush their tongue as well.

Conclusion

Baby teeth are delicate things that must be taken care of. It is important to take care of them not only to prevent baby bottle tooth decay but also to ensure that they are healthy placeholders until their adult teeth can come in. Do you have any experience with treating baby bottle tooth decay? Do you have any tips for caring for a child’s teeth? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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