Bottle Tooth Decay Do’s And Don’ts

 Bottle rot can impact your child’s baby teeth and have critical long-term effects on their adult teeth as well. When putting your child down for a nap,” Dr. Cameron Fuller suggests, “never putting them down with a bottle.” The milk they drink sits on their teeth and stays. The longer milk is on the teeth the better chance is has of producing bacteria that turn into acid, which then attacks the enamel of your son’s or daughter’s sensitive baby teeth.  Also, saliva amount decreases when your child is sleeping and therefore, there is a decrease in the amount of liquid that can help rinse the milk off their teeth.

 

Never dip the tip of the bottle in sugar or syrup. While, this may seem like a great idea if your baby is fussy and refusing a bottle, it actually increases the amount of bacteria producing acid.  Dr. Fuller of Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands and Associates recommends that parents not fill the bottle with sugary drinks or juice. 

When your child is drinking a bottle it is best to have them sitting up.  Once they have finished the milk, then it is recommended to use a four-by-four gauze to wipe the milk from their gums. Once their first teeth have come in you can use a toothbrush with soft bristles and without toothpaste to remove the milk from their teeth while continuing to use gauze for the areas where teeth have not yet erupted. 

Establishing early healthy dental habits can prevent problems later on. If you have concerns about your child’s dental care contact Dr. Fuller and team today.