Early Childhood Tooth Decay (Baby Bottle Tooth Decay)

Early childhood tooth decay is a cavity that affects the primary teeth, especially those in the front and on the top, for kids up to five years old. This type of decay is initialized when a child falls asleep with the bottle remaining in the mouth. It's a very aggressive type of cavity and has tendency to spread quickly. It is called baby bottle tooth decay because the use of the bottle creates a prolonged contact between the liquid that's in it and the surface of the teeth.

Even milk contains natural sugars that could cause baby bottle tooth decay if its contact with the teeth is prolonged. If the liquid in the bottle has sugar added, such as fruit drinks, soft drinks, or sweetened water, the risk of developing baby bottle tooth decay increases even more.

Teeth are more sensitive to getting cavities when they first erupt. It is important to keep the primary teeth healthy because they stay in the mouth for five to ten years and they allow the child to eat, speak, and have a beautiful smile.

Advice to avoid the child from getting baby bottle tooth decay:

• Keep the child from falling asleep with a bottle containing milk. A bottle should only be filled with water.
• Avoid filling the bottle with juice or any other sweetened drink, because sucking on the bottle for a long time creates prolonged contact with the teeth.
• Clean a baby's gums with a damp cloth, even if there are no teeth yet.
• Avoid dipping the pacifier in honey, syrup, or any other sweet product.
• The use of the bottle should start to be reduced around the age of 12 months, where the child should start drinking from a cup. At 15 months, the child's coordination becomes good and the bottle should not be used anymore.
• Breastfeeding is the best way to prevent cavities and to help the development of the jaws.
• If the child takes medications or sweetened syrups, teeth should be cleaned right after.
• The child should be taught to take care of his teeth from an early age.
• Take the child to a dentist for a checkup around the age two, or even sooner if something seems abnormal.

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