Most parents will do all they can to keep their children safe and cared for. That means regular visits to the doctor, good healthy meals, education and of course regular visits to the dentist! The first exposure that your child will have with oral hygiene is at home. It should begin well before your child can brush their own teeth. The care provider should do some oral cleaning at home and get them to a pediatric dentist when teeth start to appear. With that being said there are some things that you might be doing that could be causing your child to be at a higher risk for tooth decay and cavities.
Smile Reef Explains Baby Bottle Tooth Decay & How to Prevent it
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: Of course your baby needs to have access to hydrating drinks. Mothers will use a bottle to feed their small children and babies but there are some things that you might be doing that could increase the child’s risk for cavities. If you are giving your child sugary drinks in their bottle and allowing them access to it throughout the day the child will have a larger chance of developing cavities. Small children and babies don’t take a sip and go about their day they will suck on the bottle for some time and even allow the drink to stay in their mouth. This amount of sugar will start to stick to their teeth and eventually decay their teeth.
Signs Of Tooth Decay: The signs of tooth decay in an older child or an adult are different than a baby that has baby bottle tooth decay. If you have concerns that your baby has baby bottle tooth decay you can look for small white spots on their gums. They may also appear on their teeth which is a very early sign that tooth decay has commenced. If the decay has gotten worse, the dark brown discolorations will start to appear. The baby may also start to be restless and show signs of not feeling well. They may even have swollen areas on their gums and around their teeth.
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Treatment: Infants under the age of 6 months do not need a bottle when they lay down as they get all the nutrients they need from breast milk or formula. Older children may like the bottle more as a comfort and water is the best option. Any other drink will sit on their gums and teeth until they are awake the next morning. You also will need to take on the role of oral hygiene for the child. They are often too small to hold their toothbrush and do a good job. After the child has had a bottle you want to be sure that you take time to clean their mouth out and remove as much of the acidic and sugary substances that may be left behind.
Dentists for Infants & Older Children
Smile Reef offers pediatric dentistry to help control and treat tooth decay from baby bottles and other causes. Contact us to schedule your next appointment today!
