Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Becoming a parent or grandparent for the first time is not an easy task, there are many “terror” that could occur and take new parents by surprise.

Thankfully many new parents have their parents to assist them; but when parents have concerns about specific areas, they might need outside assistance.

Recently one of our patients visited one of our dental clinics in Los Algodones, he needed information on Baby Bottle Tooth Decay and our team of professionals gladly offer him the information he needed.

We know that many of our readers might know a friend or have a loved one that might also need this information, we invite you to share this post and help any new parents you know with their baby's dental concerns.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay - What Is It?

Believe it or not even infants can develop tooth decay, in infants and very young children this dental disease is referred to as baby bottle tooth decay.

The main cause of baby bottle tooth decay is when sweetened liquids adhere to an infant's teeth for a long time.

The bacteria in our mouth love sweets and when a young one’s teeth have been exposed to it for a long time, their teeth can become fragile and decay.

FACT: Baby Bottle Tooth Decay typically happens in the upper front teeth, but other teeth may also be affected.

Dipping your child’s pacifiers in sweet products increases their risk of developing baby bottle tooth decay.

Giving your son a sugary drink at nap time or at night can be extremely harmful, remember the flow of saliva decreases during sleep, exposing their teeth to harmful bacteria.

If teeth are infected at an early age because of baby bottle tooth decay; your child may develop poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth, and damaged adult teeth.

Causes of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

There are several causes that can lead to baby bottle tooth decay, however, a common cause of this dental problem is prolonged exposure of the baby’s teeth to drinks that contain sugar.

Tooth decay can occur when the baby is put to bed with a bottle (with a sugary drink) or when a bottle (with a sugary drink) is used as a pacifier.

Baby bottle tooth decay is a disease that can be passed from mother to infant, through saliva. If the mother puts the baby’s feeding spoon, pacifier, or bottle tip in her mouth, the bacteria in the mother’s mouth can be passed to the baby.

Another cause that contributes to the development of baby bottle tooth decay is when your infant or toddler does not receive an adequate amount of fluoride. Keep in mind that fluoride is an essential element of good oral hygiene. To reduce your infant risk of developing baby bottle tooth decay through these simple steps.

Preventing – Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

To prevent baby bottle tooth decay Sani Dental Group recommends these steps.

• Brush baby teeth with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
• Encourage healthy eating habits.
• Encourage your child to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
• Encourage your infants to finish their bedtime and naptime bottles before going to bed.
• Place only formula, milk, or breastmilk in bottles (please avoid liquids like sugar water, juice, or soft drinks).
• Supervise your child to brush.
• Try not to share saliva with the baby.
• When baby teeth come in, brush them gently with a child-size toothbrush and a smear.
• When using a pacifier, provide one that is clean.

When your child's first teeth appear, we invite you to schedule their first dental visit. An early visit to the dentist is key to strong teeth and a lifetime of good dental health. For Sani Dental Group, your dental health is important to us, we want both you and your child to have an excellent dental experience.

If you have any concerns, we invite you to read our post: Adults: Their Dental Concerns