What Is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Posted on 3/8/2021 by Fariba Mutschler

Baby bottle tooth decay is a common pediatric dental term used to refer to the decay that develops when baby teeth are frequently in contact with sugary items. This condition can occur when babies are put to bed with a bottle snuck inside their mouth, when a bottle is used as a pacifier to help them nibble on it, or if a baby uses sippy cups or bottles for more than the recommended period of time.

Should You Be Concerned About Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Most parents don't take baby bottle tooth decay seriously. The general pattern of thinking circles around the fact that babies will eventually lose their baby teeth anyway, so why fret over it? True, babies do lose their teeth after a certain age, which is why infant cavities can be a serious problem. Children need their teeth to speak, smile and chew things. If your child loses one of their baby teeth, the other adjacent teeth will tilt into that empty space and significantly damage the alignment of their teeth at a young age. Once left untreated, baby bottle tooth decay can leave a permanent impact without any chances of recovery.

Ways to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay can be prevented through the following ways:

•	Try not to share any saliva with your kid, don't lick their spoons or pacifiers.
•	Only formula milk or breast milk should be placed in bottles
•	Don’t allow your kid to walk around with a bottle of milk or juice in their mouth
•	Don’t fill up the bottle with sugary drinks
•	Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they become prominent and visible
•	Regularly floss your child’s teeth after all of them have come in

If you do see signs of baby bottle tooth decay, you should visit a pediatric dentist immediately and get an expert opinion. If you're looking for a consultation, you can visit us at Great Grins for KIDS - Portland or call us at (971) 470-0054.

My daughter was a little nervous to have her dental work done but everyone in the office was super friendly and very reassuring and that helped her nervousness go away. Thanks for the excellent dental experience. ~ Lilyana G.

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Our Dental Blog | Great Grins Pediatric Dentistry - Portland, OR
Dr. Fariba Mutschler & Dr. Mark Mutschler have created this informative blog to help educate the community. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please use the share it button to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
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