What is early childhood caries (baby bottle tooth decay) and how can I prevent it?
Early childhood caries is a pattern of rapid decay associated with prolonged nursing. It happens when a child goes to sleep while breast-feeding and/or bottle-feeding. During sleep, the flow of saliva is reduced and the natural self-cleansing action of the mouth is diminished. Avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bedtime bottle. After each feeding, wipe the baby’s gums and teeth with a damp washcloth or gauze pad to remove plaque. Encourage your child to drink from a cup as they approach their first birthday. He/she should be weaned from the bottle by the first birthday.
