When you're a parent, you worry about everything you do for your child. Are there things you're doing wrong? This is true when it comes to your babies' teeth because you hear scary words like baby bottlemouth syndrome and bottle tooth decay. If you take the time to learn what baby bottle mouth is and what you can do to prevent it, then you won't have to worry as much.
What Is Baby Bottle Mouth?
Basically baby bottle mouth is the decaying of your child's teeth because they were put to bed with a bottle. The milk, or in some cases juice, sits in their mouth all night and can cause teeth to start eroding. This long-term exposure causes the liquid to pool around the baby's teeth, and the sugar reacts with the bacteria already there. This means that when they drink the sugary drink and it stays on their teeth, acid is produced that attacks their gums and teeth. Over time, the decay, often in the front two teeth, starts to happen.
Is It Just Caused By Bottle Feeding?
Some parents think the condition can only be caused by allowing a baby to keep their bottle all the time or going to bed with it. There are other things that can cause the condition as well. Another example is dipping a pacifier in something sweet so the child will take it. This exposes your child's teeth to sugar that stays there far after you take the pacifier away. Sometimes parents might hold the child's pacifier or spoon in their mouth when they go to pick up their infant. There are bacteria in the adult's mouth that can be transferred to the baby and will cause cavities. You should not hold anything your child will suck on or eat with in your mouth.
Why Is Baby Bottle Mouth a Concern?
On top of not wanting your child to have to deal with rotting teeth, baby bottle mouth can cause a number of other problems. Your child can develop poor eating habits if their teeth hurt, or they can lose the teeth to decay. It can also affect their speech. Furthermore, the damage can carry over to their adult teeth. Decay can cause infection and pain, making it hard on the child in general.
How Do You Prevent Baby Bottle Mouth?
To prevent decay, you shouldn't let your child fall asleep with a bottle of milk or juice. You can clean the child's gums and teeth after they eat with a moist cloth. This way, you remove any bacteria that might be sitting on your child's gums and freshly erupting teeth.
Learning about baby bottlemouth syndrome and ways to prevent it is important for parents. It will save you and your child a lot of heart ache from decaying teeth and painful gums.
For more information, contact Crystal Dental Care or a similar location.
