It’s estimated that as many as 46% of children between the ages of two and nineteen have either restored or untreated tooth decay from bottle feeding. This condition, which is also known as infant caries, is quite common among children and toddlers.
As a parent, you likely want to do everything you can to protect your child’s dental health. However, that’s hard to do if you know nothing about the condition.
So what is tooth decay from bottle feeding? And what are some things you can do to protect children’s teeth? In this infant dental health tips guide, we’ll answer these questions so you know all the signs and solutions to look out for.
What Is Tooth Decay from Bottle Feeding?
Baby bottle tooth decay goes by many names: infant caries and bottle mouth are some popular ones. The name is used to represent a specific type of decay that happens to infants’ teeth and causes frequent cavities.
Specifically, it’s due to all the sugar in common baby drinks and food. Things like milk, formula, juice, and sweet snacks leave a lot of sugar on a child’s front incisors. This sugar then feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth.
This bacteria produces a kind of acid that can eat away at teeth. Things like bottle feeding for a long time, or continuously sucking on a sippy cup can exacerbate the issue.
Signs of Tooth Decay From Bottle Feeding
While tooth decay from bottle feeding can occur in any tooth, it’s typically most common on the front incisors. Like other forms of cavities, you can usually identify the caries by brown or black specks surrounding the teeth.
If you notice these spots, take your child to the dentist immediately. If you wait too long, the decay will start causing swelling and pain in your child’s mouth. And by that point, the infection will be much harder to deal with.
Potential Complications
Since babies lose their teeth, you might be wondering why tooth decay from bottle feeding is such a big deal. Besides the fact that children need their teeth to function in everyday life, it can also have complications in their development.
If decay occurs, the teeth can fall out early. And, since baby teeth hold space for adult teeth, when they grow in, it can cause a variety of issues.
Specifically, overcrowded and crooked teeth can cause difficulty speaking and chewing. And that’s not even counting the pain and potentially serious infections that come with tooth decay.
Bottle Feeding Tips to Prevent Tooth Decay
When preventing tooth decay in infants, the first step is to watch what you put in the bottle itself. Never fill your bottles with soda, sugar water, or juice. The USDA doesn’t recommend giving any type of juice (even 100%) to your child before the age of twelve months.
If your child drinks milk and juice before going to bed, make sure they don’t fall asleep with it in their mouth. Otherwise, the sugary liquid will coat their teeth for hours. If you need to bottle feed your child, consider doing so with water to prevent dental decay.
Additional tips include:
- Begin transitioning from bottles to cups around the age of six months
- Avoid extensive pacifier use
- Never give honey to your baby under any circumstances
- Wipe away any sugar from your infant’s gums after each feeding
You should also begin instilling healthy eating habits in your child once they begin eating solid foods. That means limiting the amount of sugary foods and drinks in their diet.
Other Things You Can Do to Prevent Infant Caries
One of the most important things you can do is instill in your child the importance of good tooth care. As such, as soon as your child’s teeth grow you should begin teaching them how to brush.
One good tip is to have the whole family brush together at bedtime. This instills in them the value of brushing and makes it a fun group activity. While oral health starts at home, you should also rely on professional dentists.
Specifically, pediatric dentistry, which specializes in children. When should you first take your child? After you notice the first tooth on your child appearing, it’s generally a good idea to go within the next six months.
This appointment is important because it can detect tooth decay from bottle feeding at an early age. And, with early detection, it’s much easier to treat the condition.
If you have any specific worries, don’t be afraid to call your pediatric dentist and describe the condition. They’re there to help.
How to Find the Best Pediatric Dentist for Infant Caries
When dealing with infant caries, the first thing you should do is ask around your network. If other friends or families have children, then odds are they have a pediatric dentist nearby that they can recommend.
If your network doesn’t turn anything up, you can turn to a local internet search. When doing this, make sure you first check the reviews. This will let you know if other parents had a good experience.
Ideally, the dentist’s website will also let you take an office tour to get a better feel for the place. Once you’ve found a good option, schedule a consultation. You want your child to feel as comfortable as possible.
Additionally, the dentist should thoroughly answer any questions you have. If you feel like your child isn’t getting the care they need, don’t be afraid to look elsewhere.
Ready for a Stress-Free Dental Experience With Your Child?
We hope this guide helped give you some dentist advice for parents about tooth decay from bottle feeding. Remember that children first learn their oral habits at home.
So when you combine an early education with effective pediatric dentistry, you give them the best shot of succeeding. Here at Beaumont Kids Dentistry, we know that the dentist’s environment can be intimidating to many children.
That’s why we specifically crafted an environment designed to make them as comfortable as possible. So if you’re ready to begin preventative tooth care for your child, get in touch with us today.