Q. What is Baby bottle decay?
A. Baby bottle decay is a very specific term which implies your little one has cavities on their upper front teeth. Baby bottle decay affects mainly the upper anteriors'. As its name implies it is caused by over exposure of your babies teeth to sugar and milk from using the bottle. The bacteria living in the oral cavity, once exposed to food (milk and sugar) produce an acid. This acid actually stays in baby's mouth for up to 20 minutes after getting activated. It starts eating the enamel of your Childs tooth. Most babies plagued by this pattern of decay, have been sleeping with the bottle in their mouth for a prolonged period of time.
Keep in mind that it is not how often your child is fed, but rather how long the exposure lasts.
Q. Do I need to treat Baby bottle decay? After all it is only baby teeth.
A. True this is only baby teeth. But your little one will have their anterior deciduous (baby) teeth for at least another 6 years. If you do not treat the problem the child may end up with infection requiring baby root canals, crowns and possible extractions. Losing your teeth at very young age affects the eating habits of your child. It will affect what they can and cannot eat as well as how well they will eat. Losing their front teeth can also affect them psychologically and developmentally. You can also see speech related problems if children lose their anterior teeth too early in life.
Q. Can permanent teeth be affected if I do not treat baby bottle decay?
A. Absolutely, Baby bottle decay is a specific form of cavity. A cavity is a bacterial infection of the tooth. The infection can spread and affect the adult (permanent) teeth which have not yet erupted. It is possible for the permanent teeth to erupt with existing cavities caused by the untreated decayed deciduous teeth.
Q. So when should I stop the bottle?
A. rule of thumb is 12 -14 months. Until then the bottle is ok as long as baby's teeth are being cleaned after feeding and that at night the bottle only contains water. Most babies can sleep through the night without needing to be fed. If the baby is using the bottle to comfort him/herself, it is best to substitute the bottle with a dentist approved pacifier.
Q. what should I do if I suspect baby bottle decay?
A. Take them to the dentist. In fact babies first year should include a first visit to the dentist.
Dr. Arratoonian DDS
Finally, answers to the tough teething baby questions from a Mother and a Dentist perspective. For more info on baby bottle decay visit, Http://teethingbabyguide.com
