Baby teeth are important! Here is everything you need to know about this common problem.
Bottle mouth or baby bottle tooth decay is a type of tooth that specifically effects infants and very young children. It occurs when a child’s baby teeth encounter too much sugar usually from drinking from a bottle or sippy cup for long periods, allowing the sugar to coat the teeth. Common culprits include juice, formula and even milk.
Of course your child still needs to drink but there are ways to detect and even prevent bottle mouth from ever being an issue.
- One of the most important tips for preventing this problem is to avoid putting your child to sleep with a bottle. If your child has difficulty sleeping without the bottle, only allow water. You can also try to give them a pacifier but do not coat it in anything such as sugar or syrup.
- If you need to ween your baby off sugary drinks, begin by diluting them with water over a few weeks.
- After feeding your baby, wipe their gums with a washcloth.
- Aim to start your child drinking from a regular cup around six-months-old.
- Avoid sugary drinks such as pop and juice.
- Do not put anything in your child’s mouth after putting it into your own. This includes using the same spoon or cleaning a pacifier off that has fallen.
- As soon as your child grows teeth, you should begin to practice brushing (without toothpaste until they learn how not to swallow).
- Stay current on your child’s visit to the dentist.
