Tundraco's Daily Living Guide to Raising Kids Baby Bottle Induced Tooth Decay

Baby bottles can cause tooth decay! Should you be concerned? The answer is a resounding YES!

• Damage to a baby's first set of teeth can cause his permanent teeth to come in crooked.
• Damage and early loss of a baby's baby teeth may also impair your baby's ability to eat solid foods and to speak properly.
• It can also cause your baby a great deal of pain.
• In severe cases, tooth decay can even result in bone loss.

When a baby drinks a liquid that contains sugars, this includes formula and breastmilk, bacteria (plaque) in the mouth converts the sugars into acid. This acid, in turn, attacks the enamel of the teeth. According to the American Dental Association (ADA) the acid can continue to attack the teeth for twenty minutes or more after the liquid has been consumed. If enough damage occurs, the teeth will begin to decay and cavities will form. Left untreated, this can result in the loss of one or more teeth.

• Another cause of baby bottle tooth decay is the practice of giving a baby a pacifier dipped in sugar water or honey.

Baby bottle tooth decay is not only caused by the presence of sugars, but also by the duration that the sugars are in the mouth.

• Never feed your baby sugar water or soda.
• Limit the amount of sweetened drinks, such as fruit juices, that are fed to your baby.
• Never allow your baby to sleep with a bottle in his mouth. If you feel that you need to give your baby a bottle in order to get him to go to sleep, try giving him water.
• According to the California Dental Association, putting a baby to sleep with a bottle can cause ear infections.
• Before the baby's teeth begin to show, wash his gums after feeding. To wash the gums, simply use a damp cloth or other soft material and gently wipe it over the baby's gums.
• Once teeth begin to appear, brush them regularly.
• If the water you give your baby does not contain fluoride, consult with your pediatrician or pediatric dentist to see if you should add a fluoride supplement to the baby's drinking water.
• Never give a baby a pacifier dipped in anything sweet.
• Wean your baby off the bottle as quickly as possible.

Because baby bottle tooth decay can be acerbated by prolonged exposure to sweet liquids, you should never put your baby down to sleep with a bottle in his mouth. If you simply 'must', make sure that the bottle is filled with water.

• You may find that substituting a pacifier for the bottle may be the most effective way of weaning your baby from the bedtime bottle. As a bonus, the use of a pacifier has been shown to minimize the occurrence of finger sucking.
• You can also help your baby go to sleep without a bottle by distracting him from it by singing or reading to your baby. You may also find that rocking him to sleep or rubbing his back is effective.
• Granted these methods may be more time consuming, but they will help your baby develop a beautiful smile while offering you a unique opportunity to bond with your baby.

If you notice that your baby's teeth are coming in crooked or if you notice that he has white spots on his front teeth, consult with your pediatrician or pediatric dentist. The white spots are the first sign of decay. As the problem worsens, the spots will become black and will spread out as more of the tooth is destroyed.

• If all is well, you should plan on taking your baby to see a pediatric dentist, for a general dental check up, sometime after the age of six months but not later than his first birthday.