What Your Pediatric Dentist Would Say About Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is a very real condition that affects a large portion of babies and toddlers in this country. In fact, it can affect as many as 5 percent of babies by their nine-month birthday, and statistics increase as babies head into the toddler years. The sad thing about this condition is the fact that it is entirely preventable with a little education and prevention on the part of the parents, but most parents do not take their babies to the pediatric dentist until they are in their preschool years and the decay has already occurred.

Contrary to what the name implies, Baby Bottle Tooth Decay does not require the child to use a bottle in order to occur. While it is common among bottle fed babies, tooth decay can begin any time the child has teeth regardless of the way in which they are fed. To understand the condition, you must first understand the way in which it can be passed to your baby.

Tooth decay occurs because of bacteria, no matter how old the patient with the condition is. Sometimes this bacteria is introduced into the baby's mouth by the mother or primary caregiver. Allowing the baby to share your spoon or using your own saliva to "disinfect" a dropped pacifier will transfer the bacteria you already have in your mouth to your baby. Also, if a baby shares a cup or bottle with an older sibling, the sibling can pass on bacteria.

Liquids that contain sugar will help any bacteria in the baby's mouth breed and multiply. This commonly occurs when the baby is put to bed with a bottle containing sweetened water, juice, or even milk. The liquids do not all get swallowed and pool around the baby's teeth, encouraging the growth of bacteria and the eventual decay of teeth. 

While bottles are a common culprit just because it is so easy to put a baby to bed with one, they are not the only culprits. Breastfed babies who nurse to sleep and do not swallow all of the milk can also suffer from the condition. For this reason, your pediatric dentist will not recommend giving your baby anything other than water in bed, and will also recommend not nursing the child to sleep.

A pediatric dentist will also recommend starting oral care the moment the child develops his or her first tooth. Simply use water on a washcloth to wash around that tooth until the child has the maturity to allow you to brush it using a brush. Toothpaste is not necessary until the baby is a bit older. Simply brushing with water after the final feeding of the day is sufficient. 

Another way to prevent this problem that your pediatric dentist might recommend is putting your baby to bed with a pacifier. When a baby sucks on a pacifier, he will produce more saliva and also instinctively swallow. This can rid his mouth of the extra milk or juice that could lead to tooth decay. However, most dental professionals will not recommend a pacifier much past the first birthday.