Causes and Prevention of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is caused by putting your baby to bed with a milk bottle, having too many sugary drinks and not enough water, not taking serious care of their baby teeth on the assumption that ‘they will fall out anyway’. But this can happen only when they are 6 or 7. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay will severely impact their adult teeth when they come through and the child’s self-esteem. It can be prevented with the proper care of the teeth, limiting sugary drinks and treats, and encouraging your child to drink more water.

Should you really worry about your babies first teeth? The answer is a definite yes! And here’s why…

5 Reasons why you should take care of your baby’s teeth.

• If you child’s baby teeth are unhealthy, the more likely their adult teeth may well be. 
• Your child will lose their baby teeth between the ages of 6 and 12. If their teeth are unhealthy or stained, the less likely they are to smile and it will damage their self-confidence. . They may experience difficulty in making friends and interacting with teachers at school, which could affect their education.
• Eating could also be painful if their teeth have cavities. 
• Decay can spread quickly.  
• If the baby teeth fall out too soon – before their adult teeth are ready to come through – there will be a gap in their jaw which will affect the way the adult teeth sit. They could be ‘gappy’ or overcrowded. 

This kind of damage is called Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

3 Easy ways in which your baby can develop Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

• The Nighttime Bottle: The only liquid you should put into a nighttime bottle is water or weak Rooibos tea. Milk,  breast milk, formula, or a sugary drink all contain sugar in some form. All of them cause tooth decay. 
• A Lack Of Fluoride: Drinking water and daily oral care is as important to babies as it is to adults. Along with Rooibos tea, drinking water, and daily brushing provides the required fluoride your child’s teeth needs.
• The Pacifier Problem:  Choose a pacifier rather than a bottle to calm your baby.  If your baby drops it or spits it out don’t dip it in whatever you’re drinking or put it in your mouth to ‘clean it’.  All you will do is transfer your decay-causing bacteria into your baby’s mouth. The same applies to licking a spoon that you then put in the baby’s mouth. 

10 Ways to prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

1. For infants, gently wipe their gums after every feeding, and before bedtime with a clean, damp gauze.
2. Put your bay to bed with a bottle containing only water.  
3. Don’t substitute a bottle for a pacifier.
4. As soon as the child’s first tooth appears, don’t let your baby fall asleep while breast feeding, and limit on-demand feeding. Brush it twice a day. Use  a child-sized toothbrush, a rice grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Be gentle. Brush Your child’s teeth until they can do it themselves without swallowing the toothpaste – usually at about 6 or 7 years old.
5. Sippy cups lower the risk of baby bottle tooth decay. Use them as soon as possible instead of bottles.
6. Encourage your child to drink water rather than sugary drinks.
7. Limit snacking between meals as much as possible.
8. Don’t use sweet treats as rewards.
9. Feed your child a healthy diet.

And most importantly, when your child’s first tooth appears make an appointment with your dentist. We will ensure the visit is calm and fun.

Contact us on: 0508 TEAM DENTAL. 

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