Bottle Feeding and Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is common in babies who are bottle fed. Tooth decay in infants is known as baby bottle tooth decay. If proper attention is not paid, it may cause serious teeth problems in infants. Read on to know more about baby bottle tooth decay and ways to prevent tooth decay in bottle fed infants. Every year a large number of infants and small children suffer from extensive tooth decay. Research has identified major culprits as milk and other liquids which are fed to small children in bottles. In recent times dentists have reported a rising rate of severe tooth decay in infants as young as 12 months. The prime factor responsible for this is thought to be bottle feeding babies. Similar to an adult’s mouth, baby’s mouth is also full of bacteria. The bacteria feed on sugars found in the liquids that we drink and in foods we eat. These bacteria produce acid as a by-product which attacks the tooth enamel and causes cavities. Prolonged feeding with bottles, both of breast milk and infant formula are linked to tooth decay. Especially when fed at night children suck on bottles in a lying down position. Naturally occurring lactose is present in both breast milk and formula. When combined with plaque which is present naturally in a baby’s mouth, it is capable of eroding the enamel of primary teeth. The best way to avoid this problem is to make children drink from a cup once breast feeding stops. Baby bottle tooth decay can affect children as old as 3 years. It can happen when a childs teeth are exposed to sugary liquids, like formula or fruit juices for continuous, extended period of time. The enamel gets dissolved causing decay which can cause tooth infections as the sugary liquid flows over the babys upper front teeth. Longer the practice of bottle feeding continues the greater will be the extent of damage to the babys teeth and mouth. In this articleHow to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?ConclusionHow to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay? Here are some basic tips which will prevent tooth decay in small children: Ensure that your child does not fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices, or such other sweetened liquids in his mouth. Instead of bottle feeding a baby sweetened liquids, consider the option of comforting the child a bottle filled with cool, plain water.Adopt hygiene measures to ensure that the pacifier used by a child is clean. Do not feed a child sweetened drinks in a pacifier.As soon as a child reaches the age of 1 introduce her to a cup. Most doctors recommend that children must be made to stop drinking from a bottle immediately after their first birthday. The longer a child is bottle fed more challenging will it be to make her give it up. Hence, at around 8 months of age parents must start teaching a baby to drink from a cup. The child must be encouraged to have small sips of beverages like fruit juice mixed with water from cups. In extreme cases where parents have not been able to get their child to give up the bottle, after every bottle feed it is essential to take a wet cloth or gauze pad and gently wipe the childs gums and teeth. Make sure that you take proper measures to clean any bacteria containing plaque and excess sugar that may have built up. Conclusion There is conclusive research to prove that prolonged use of the bottle can lead to tooth decay and nutritional deficiencies in young children. Transition can become harder if small children are bottle fed for long. Hence, conscious attempts must be made by parents and caregivers to make a child drink from a cup instead of a bottle as soon as she turns 8- 10 months old.

Tooth decay is common in babies who are bottle fed. Tooth decay in infants is known as baby bottle tooth decay. If proper attention is not paid, it may cause serious teeth problems in infants. Read on to know more about baby bottle tooth decay and ways to prevent tooth decay in bottle fed infants.

Every year a large number of infants and small children suffer from extensive tooth decay. Research has identified major culprits as milk and other liquids which are fed to small children in bottles. In recent times dentists have reported a rising rate of severe tooth decay in infants as young as 12 months. The prime factor responsible for this is thought to be bottle feeding babies.

Similar to an adult’s mouth, baby’s mouth is also full of bacteria. The bacteria feed on sugars found in the liquids that we drink and in foods we eat. These bacteria produce acid as a by-product which attacks the tooth enamel and causes cavities.

Prolonged feeding with bottles, both of breast milk and infant formula are linked to tooth decay. Especially when fed at night children suck on bottles in a lying down position. Naturally occurring lactose is present in both breast milk and formula. When combined with plaque which is present naturally in a baby’s mouth, it is capable of eroding the enamel of primary teeth. The best way to avoid this problem is to make children drink from a cup once breast feeding stops.

Baby bottle tooth decay can affect children as old as 3 years. It can happen when a child's teeth are exposed to sugary liquids, like formula or fruit juices for continuous, extended period of time. The enamel gets dissolved causing decay which can cause tooth infections as the sugary liquid flows over the baby's upper front teeth. Longer the practice of bottle feeding continues the greater will be the extent of damage to the baby's teeth and mouth.

How to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Here are some basic tips which will prevent tooth decay in small children:

• Ensure that your child does not fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices, or such other sweetened liquids in his mouth.
• Instead of bottle feeding a baby sweetened liquids, consider the option of comforting the child a bottle filled with cool, plain water.
• Adopt hygiene measures to ensure that the pacifier used by a child is clean. Do not feed a child sweetened drinks in a pacifier.
• As soon as a child reaches the age of 1 introduce her to a cup. Most doctors recommend that children must be made to stop drinking from a bottle immediately after their first birthday.
• The longer a child is bottle fed more challenging will it be to make her give it up. Hence, at around 8 months of age parents must start teaching a baby to drink from a cup.
• The child must be encouraged to have small sips of beverages like fruit juice mixed with water from cups.
• In extreme cases where parents have not been able to get their child to give up the bottle, after every bottle feed it is essential to take a wet cloth or gauze pad and gently wipe the child's gums and teeth.
• Make sure that you take proper measures to clean any bacteria containing plaque and excess sugar that may have built up.

Conclusion

There is conclusive research to prove that prolonged use of the bottle can lead to tooth decay and nutritional deficiencies in young children. Transition can become harder if small children are bottle fed for long. Hence, conscious attempts must be made by parents and caregivers to make a child drink from a cup instead of a bottle as soon as she turns 8- 10 months old.