What do you think is the most common chronic childhood illness? It’s not diabetes… It’s not asthma… it’s tooth decay! Over half of American children between the ages of six and eight have had a cavity in at least one primary tooth. Not only does the thin enamel of baby teeth put them at a higher risk of decay, but parents often accidentally increase their children’s risk of cavities without realizing it! This is due to an increasingly common issue called baby bottle tooth decay. Read on to learn more about it and what you can do to keep that precious smile healthy and cavity-free!
The Basics of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
When a baby sucks on a bottle full of formula, juice, or any other beverage besides water, sugars naturally pool around their teeth and gums. These sugars fuel cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth, and the longer they stay on the teeth and gums, the more damage they can cause.
If a baby drinks from their bottle for reasonably short periods of time, their saliva has a chance to wash away the sugars and mitigate the acids that cause cavities. However, if your child sucks on a baby bottle all day, or you put them down to sleep with their bottle, they’ll have prolonged contact with these sugary particles. Even healthy options like fruit juice will increase the risk of developing cavities.
Cavities In Small Teeth Are A Big Problem
Since baby teeth are designed to fall out eventually anyways, many parents assume that it’s not very important to prevent or treat cavities in these little pearly whites. However, this is pretty far from the truth! Allowing tooth decay to develop and leaving it untreated can cause issues like:
- Painful, persistent toothaches
- Serious dental infections
- Trouble speaking or eating comfortably
- Lowered self-confidence
- Premature baby tooth loss, which can cause adult teeth to come in incorrectly
Baby Steps: Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Unfortunately, children are far more prone to cavities than adults are for a variety of reasons. Not only is their enamel thinner, but kids are still learning how to properly brush their teeth and clean away that cavity-causing bacteria. Not to mention that most foods marketed for kids are full of sugar! Fortunately, you can help keep your little one’s smile healthy with the following tips:
- Don’t put your child down for bed or a nap with a baby bottle (unless it’s only filled with plain water)
- After a bottle feeding, wipe off your child’s gums and teeth with a damp, soft washcloth
- Begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as their first one erupts
- Encourage your little one to drink from a cup by their first birthday
- Bring your child in for their first checkup by the time they turn one
Even though tooth decay is incredibly widespread in children, the easy tips listed above can dramatically lower your little one’s risk of cavities. Talk to your pediatric dentist for even more personalized ways to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.
About the Practice
At Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we are dedicated to helping the growing smiles of Nashua and the surrounding areas achieve happy, healthy, and cavity-free smiles. We serve infants, toddlers, children, and teenagers with personalized preventive care aimed towards keeping their oral health on track while they grow. During your appointment, our experienced team would be happy to give you practical tips for preventing baby bottle tooth decay. To schedule your child’s next visit, reach us online or call (603) 880-5002.