Your baby is your life’s treasure. And, you want the best for your child. But, do you know that even the bottle you feed to your little one can lead to tooth decay?
In this article, you will know what a baby bottle tooth decay is all about. And, you can learn some tips on how you can keep your baby’s teeth as healthy as they can be.
About baby bottle tooth decay
Any one of us is prone to developing cavities in our teeth. To understand what tooth decay means, the website at NHS.uk defines this as damage to a tooth caused by a dental plaque turning sugars into acid. If our dental health will go unchecked, we most likely develop tooth decay at some point in our lives.
As such, babies may be prone to what is called baby bottle tooth decay. This refers to the development of cavities amongst babies. In fact, this condition is caused by losing the baby teeth amongst infants and toddlers.
Common causes of baby bottle tooth decay
The common cause of baby bottle tooth decay, for its namesake, is usually from the dependencies on using milk bottles for feeding to your child. Breastfeeding is best recommended for mothers to feed their infants. As a result, the dependency on milking your child through sterile milk bottles may slowly cause damage to any of their teeth.
Potential signs that your baby’s teeth might be at risk
Your baby’s teeth may be at risk if you are able to detect the early signs or symptoms that cause tooth decay. One sign that you can easily spot is the presence of white visible spots on the surface area of your baby’s teeth. If these signs are left untreated, your baby can carry this tooth decay as he or she develops. In extreme cases, these may progress to more severe tooth decay in your child, thus preventing them from having a complete set of teeth as they grow old.
Keeping your baby’s teeth away from cavities
As a parent, you need to ensure to look after the overall health of your child. And, that includes the health of their first tooth appearance.
Once you have noticed that your child has symptoms about baby bottle tooth decay, you can seek dental help. More so, there are a lot of available options for treatment to facilitate the elimination of the risk of tooth decay of your child.
Colgate.com cites the Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research that a baby’s tooth decay is reversible. Hence, there are several methods that a dentist can do, such as, repairing the decayed tooth through an enamel application. Or, most notably, these procedures may have fluoride to maintain the quality of your child’s tooth.
One step you need to consider is to regularly communicate with your child’s pediatrician. Alternatively, your pediatrician may also refer you to a pediatric dentist who can be able to assist you. With proper guidance, they’ll be able to help you develop a treatment plan for your child’s tooth health. Again, this will also be dependent on your baby’s age and if the tooth decay has been identified late in the process.
How to prevent your child from having a tooth decay
To prevent your child from the harm of baby bottle tooth decay, as mentioned earlier, you need to identify its early signs. More so, you need to be aware of what type of food or drinks you are going to feed into your child. And of course, follow these easy-to-remember routines to care for your child’s teeth.
Clean up your child’s mess (and that’s expected)
Feeding your baby takes a lot of patience. And you also need to ensure that after feeding, you need to clean them up so that the residue of the foods won’t stick.
Don’t put your saliva into your child’s pacifiers
You may have a fond time sharing the moment with your child when feeding. But, at some point, you may share your saliva with your child’s spoon. Don’t you know that your mouth may carry bacteria, too? So, best to avoid having your saliva reach your child’s feeding tools like spoons or pacifiers.
Tips to avoid having baby bottle tooth decay
Your baby requires immediate attention to prevent building up cavities on their teeth. Thus, there is a way to prevent your baby from having tooth decay.
Here are some recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to ensure your child’s teeth are as healthy as it can be:
Oral health risk assessments
All infants are required to receive oral health risk assessments starting at 6 months of age. This will help you identify and apply the right fluoride or toothpaste that you can use from the time the first tooth appears.
Regular dental visits
All children are advised to be referred to a dentist as early as 6 months of age. Alternatively, you may speak with your pediatrician to learn some tips to maintain your child’s oral hygiene.
Initial dental tests and assessments
As early as during their toddler years, your child shall be ready to have an initial dental test. This may include a series of assessments and regular dental checkups with your preferred dentist.
Avoidance from non-sugar based foods and drinks
Parents should limit food and drinks to their children with high sugar content. With sugar-based or fructose-based foods or drinks, there is a high likelihood that your child may have tooth decay.
Brushing your child’s first tooth appearance
Parents should brush their children’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste as soon as they can see the first tooth appears.
Start having your child’s teeth healthy; so they can brush their teeth easily
At ES Toothbrush, we offer a variety of toothbrush selections for children aged 2 to 4 years old. For your baby, speak with your immediate pediatrician to know your child’s health.
Seeking your child’s dentist is important if you notice the early signs of baby bottle tooth decay. Remember that when early detection is identified, you can know the right methods to ensure the health of your child and your child’s teeth.