At Smiles of Memorial, we want you and your children to achieve your best smile. Often times, this begins with preventative techniques such as brushing every day and eating healthy. Below are a few ways that can help you and your child prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.
1.Avoid Sharing Saliva
Sharing saliva through a spoon or a pacifier can expose your child’s mouth to cavity-creating bacteria. This bacteria can break down the enamel on your child’s tooth leading to baby bottle tooth decay. Once a hole begins to form, the baby bottle tooth decay is irreversible and your child will have to receive a filling to prevent further damage.
2.Brush Twice a Day
Before your child’s teeth arrive, clean their gums with a damp washcloth after each feeding. This will prevent the build-up of sugars, acids, bacteria, and baby bottle tooth decay. When your child’s first tooth emerges, call Dr. Dan Viet Tran to schedule an appointment. It is important to visit Smiles of Memorial soon after losing their first tooth to ensure their teeth are growing properly. If your child’s first tooth does not appear by their first birthday, bring them to Smiles of Memorial for an exam.
3.Supervise Before Age 6 or 7
You should always supervise your child while they brush their teeth before age 6 or 7 to ensure that they do not swallow the toothpaste. Teach your child to use a pea-size of toothpaste to brush their teeth. Explain the importance of using toothpaste with fluoride because it helps strengthen your tooth’s enamel, a cavity protector. Neglecting to brush their teeth can cause baby bottle tooth decay.
4.Avoid Sugary Liquids
Do not put sugary drinks such as sodas, juice, sugar water, or sweet tea in your child’s bottle. These sugars work fast to break down enamel and cause irreversible cavities. If your child loses a tooth from a cavity their permanent tooth may not have enough room to grow and therefore causing misaligned teeth.
5.Don’t Sleep With the Bottle
Lastly, do not let your child sleep with their bottle. This can cause prolonged exposure to sugars on your teeth which can cause baby bottle tooth decay.
Of course, Smiles of Memorial’s best advice is to encourage your child to brush twice a day for two minutes each, exclude all sugar drinks, and avoid prolonged exposure to milk. For more information about baby bottle tooth decay prevention or to schedule an appointment call the best dentist in Houston at (281)-493-0061 today!