What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay and how can it be prevented?
Baby bottle tooth decay (now known as Early Childhood Caries) is the development of caries in young children usually as a result of inappropriate nursing/bottle habits or inappropriate use of sippy cups. The decay pattern usually involves the upper front teeth first, followed by the upper back teeth and then the lowers molars. To prevent tooth decay from the bottle or nursing children should not fall asleep with a bottle containing anything other than water. At-will breast-feeding should be avoided after the primary teeth begin to erupt and other sources of nutrition have been introduced. Drinking juice from a bottle should be avoided. Children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age. Learn the proper way to brush and floss your child’s teeth and schedule their first visit by your child’s first birthday.
