Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Explained
Your child’s temporary teeth play an essential role. Baby teeth help in chewing, speech development, and tooth alignment. Therefore, it’s necessary to take extra measures to care for your baby’s teeth.
Like adult teeth, baby teeth can suffer from cavities. This type of cavity is called baby bottle tooth decay. It is one of the most common dental problems in infants and can cause serious damage to a child’s teeth. It is important to take steps to prevent it from happening.
In this blog post, we will explain more about baby bottle tooth decay and how you can protect your child’s teeth.
What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?
Baby bottle tooth decay is a type of cavity that can develops in young children’s teeth. It is caused by frequent and prolonged exposure of the teeth to liquids that contain sugars, such as milk, formula, juices, and beverages. When these liquids are consumed too often throughout the day or overnight, they can pool around the teeth and lead to decay.
Symptoms of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby bottle tooth decay affects any of your child’s teeth, although it mostly occurs in the front upper and lower teeth. Here are some common signs of baby tooth decay:
- White spots on the teeth
- Tooth cavities
- Toothache
- Swollen or bleeding gums
- Fever caused by gum or tooth infection
Baby Tooth Decay Treatment
If your child has baby bottle tooth decay, it’s important to consult your dentist right away. Treatment will depend on the severity of the decay.
In some cases, a simple cleaning may be all that is needed. More severe cases may require dental extractions.
Here is what to expect if you visit your dentist:
- The dentist would first perform a dental checkup and provide a suitable treatment method based on the condition of the teeth.
- If white spots or lines are detected, the dentist may apply fluoride to your child’s teeth and suggest dietary changes to remineralize the teeth.
- The dentist may recommend dental fillings or crowns to treat and cover decays.
- The dentist may also consider tooth pulp therapy or extraction if the decay is severe.
Tips For Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
- Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. This is because the sugar in the liquids will stick to your child’s teeth, eventually causing decay of your child’s teeth.
- Even if you end up feeding them sweetened food, wipe their gums and teeth gently with a wet cloth. This will remove excess sugar or plaque from the teeth.
- Start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as they appear. You don’t need a thorough cleaning using toothpaste. Just scrub the teeth gently with a wetcloth.
- Consider flossing your child’s teeth when adjacent teeth have erupted.
- Encourage your child to drink from a cup at six months old.
- Take your child to the dentist twice a year.
Harrisburg NC Dentists
If your child is suffering from baby bottle tooth decay, you don’t need to worry. This can be prevented by various treatments and cures. Contact Icard & Strein Family Dentistry via our website or call us on 704.455.5003 for an appointment.
Our Harrisburg NC Dentist Office
To learn more about dental treatments from Icard & Strein Family Dentistry, or to schedule an appointment, call our Harrisburg, NC dental office today at 704.455.5003.