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:
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
- 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
