Baby Bottle Tooth Decay A Dental Condition That Can Destroy The Teeth Of Your Infant/Young Child

How Serious Is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay..?

This can cause painful toothaches for your child which can hinder their eating and this in turn can affect their well being. Severely decayed teeth can become infected and will then need to be extracted. If your child's teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may have some of these problems:

• Poor eating habits / Speech problems / Crooked teeth                                                                
• Damaged adult teeth / Yellow or brown adult teeth

Parents sometimes do not realise that baby's teeth are susceptible to dental decay as soon as they appear in their mouths. By the time dental decay is noticed, it may be too late to save your child's teeth.

Your child’s upper front teeth are the most susceptible to damage, but their other teeth also may be affected. This condition is caused by the frequent and long-term exposure of a child's teeth to liquids containing sugars ie milk, formula, fruit juice, fizzy sweetened drinks, and other sweetened drinks.

The sugars in these liquids pool around your infant's teeth and gums, feeding the bacteria that cause plaque. Each and every time your child consumes a sugary liquid, acid attacks their teeth. After numerous attacks, tooth decay can occur, resulting in baby bottle tooth decay.

Parents and carers should be especially concerned with giving their infant a sugary drink at nap or night time. During sleep, the flow of saliva decreases, allowing the sugary liquids to pool around the child's teeth for an extended period of time.

Protect Your Child's Teeth & Prevent Dental Decay 

Your Family Dentist
Appledore Dental Clinic Bracknell

• Breast feed your baby (if you are able to) 
• After each feed wipe your child's teeth and gums with a damp wash cloth or small soft toothbrush to remove plaque 
• Begin brushing your child's teeth as soon as their first tooth erupts. 
• Never allow your child to fall asleep with a bottle containing a sweetened liquid - If your child refuses to fall asleep without a bottle, simply fill it with water and nothing else 
• If your local water supply does not contain enough decay-fighting fluoride, check with your dentist to see if your child should receive fluoride supplements
• Start dental visits between six and twelve months to get them into the habit of having their mouths checked.

Keep Your Child Happy & Smiling By Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

To transform your smile, contact Appledore Dental Clinic Bracknell and you will start smiling more

• Call us on 01344 481 544 
• smiles@appledore.co.uk
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