Baby bottle teeth problems is tooth decay that occurs in babies, whereby the front teeth are mostly affected and the other teeth maybe affected as well.
This problem normally happens when babies are bottle fed liquids that contain sugar like formula, milk or fruit juice and also when the liquids stays on the baby’s teeth for a long time.
Babies who are at high risk of developing baby bottle tooth problem are those that are given pacifiers that are always dipped in sugar to comfort them during nap time, this is because during sleep, there is low flow of saliva.
Bottle teeth problem can lead to issues like: damage to the permanent teeth, pain which leads to discomfort in the mouth, the space needed for the teeth to grow may be lost, infections that may affect the baby’s health in general and also when the issues is not taken care of early, it might lead to a costly dental care.
There are several things that can be done to ensure that the baby does not experience bottle teeth problems and they include:
Wiping the baby’s gum with maybe a wash cloth or clean pad every time after feeding them, brushing the baby’s first teeth with tooth paste that is fluoride free, one can also choose not use any toothpaste at all. While cleaning the baby’s teeth, it’s always important to massage and also clean gums that have no teeth.
The other ways of preventing bottle teeth decay are by making regular visit to a pediatric dentist, by flossing the baby’s teeth once they all erupt and also by making sure that the baby gets enough fluoride because it plays a major role in preventing cavities.
Other things that can be done to avoid teeth decay in babies is by not filling feeding bottles with drinks that contain sugar, by ensuring that pacifiers are not dipped in anything sweet and also by making sure that sugars are reduced in the baby’s meals.
Baby bottle teeth problems are not easy to tell, although one is able to check the signs by looking at the gum line of the upper front teeth, where by white spots can be seen on the teeth.
But it’s always important to visit a pediatric dentist when the first teeth begin to grow so that they can give instructions on how to take care of the baby’s teeth early.
Leave a Reply