What is baby bottle tooth decay?

Tooth decay in infants and very young children is often referred to as baby bottle tooth decay. Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when sweetened liquids or those with natural sugars (like milk, formula milk and fruit juice) cling to an infant's teeth for long periods of time. Bacteria in the mouth thrive on this sugar and produce acids that attack the teeth.

At risk are children whose dummies are frequently dipped in sugar or syrup. Giving an infant a sugary drink at nap or nighttime is particularly harmful, as the flow of saliva decreases during sleep.

While baby bottle tooth decay typically occurs in the upper front teeth, other teeth may also be affected.

If you think baby teeth are temporary, and therefore, not important, think again. Baby teeth are necessary for chewing, speaking, and smiling. They also serve as placeholders for the adult teeth. If baby bottle tooth decay is left untreated, pain and infection can result. Severely decayed teeth may need to be removed.

If teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may develop poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth, and damaged adult teeth. In addition, the chances that adult teeth will end up being crooked are greatly increased.

The good news is that a few simple steps can help stave off baby bottle tooth decay. They include implementing good oral hygiene at an early age. Here's how:

• Wipe the baby's gums with a clean gauze pad or flannel after each feed.
• As soon as the teeth start to come through, you should start brushing them. You can buy special brushes for babies and make sure you use fluoride toothpaste
• Clean and massage gums in areas without teeth.
• Floss once all the baby teeth have come through.
• Book regular dental check-ups. The British Dental Association recommends making an appointment for a child as early as possible. The more your child is used to the sights and sounds of the dental practice, the more comfortable they're going to feel about going.

Other techniques to help prevent baby bottle tooth decay include:

• Not filling bottles with sugared water and soft drinks. Bottles are for milk, water, formula, and special electrolyte-containing solutions when the child has diarrhoea. Juices, mixed one part juice to 10 parts water to avoid empty calories, are a way to interest your child in a beaker. Soft drinks are not recommended for children as they have no nutritional value.
• Never allowing your child to fall asleep with a bottle containing anything but water.
• Never giving your child a dummy dipped in anything sweet.
• Decreasing your child's sugar intake, especially between meals.

It's never too late to break bad habits. If your child drinks sweetened liquids from the bottle and/or sleeps with a bottle, break the habit now and reduce the risk of baby bottle tooth decay by:

• Gradually diluting the bottle contents with water over two to three weeks.
• Once that period is over, fill the bottle with water.

Remember that healthy baby teeth will lead to healthy permanent teeth.