Contrary to popular belief, babies and toddlers can experience tooth decay, even if their diet is relatively confined to milk or baby food. It’s called baby bottle tooth decay, and it’s what happens when the natural sugar in liquids such as milk, infant formula, and fruit juice adheres to an infant’s teeth for long periods. Oral bacteria feed upon this sugar, which then creates an acid by-product that wears away at the teeth’s enamel. This mechanism eventually causes tooth decay and cavities, usually on the upper front teeth.
As a parent, you need to make sure that your infant or toddler does not suffer from baby bottle tooth decay. After all, this condition can result in the following:
- Swelling and pain
- Infected teeth or gums
- Crooked milk and adult teeth
- Poor eating habits
- Speech problems
That being said, it’s quite easy to prevent baby bottle tooth decay. Besides taking your infant or toddler to your trusted dentist for checkup and treatment, you can take the simple tips below into consideration.
Never share utensils with your child
Refrain from sharing utensils with your child to avoid introducing your saliva to his/her mouth. Your saliva has its own bacterial flora, which can eventually cause tooth decay when these cavity-causing microorganisms are consistently introduced to your infant’s oral environment.
Clean your child’s gums, even if the teeth are yet to break out
Use a sanitary gauze pad or washcloth to clean your baby’s gums after each feeding. Remember not to use too much force as this could bruise their delicate gum tissue.
Brush your child’s teeth as soon as they begin to appear
When your infant’s teeth begin to sprout, begin brushing it gently with a toothbrush that’s appropriately sized for their age. Use a very small amount of toothpaste when doing so
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