Protect Your Child From Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Protect Your Child From Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

YOUR CHILD’S BABY TEETH may be temporary, but that doesn’t make them any less important. They help your child eat and learn to speak. They also play an important role in guiding permanent teeth as they grow in properly.

Work Toward Not Going To Bed With A Bottle

Many parents tuck their child in at night with a bottle full of formula or juice. It seems harmless, but when children fall asleep with sugary or starchy liquids bathing their teeth all night it can cause erosion and decay. This is called baby bottle tooth decay.

Take Preventative Steps Now

If your child is used to going to bed with a bottle, it’s never too late to break habits. TRY THIS… gradually dilute the contents with water over a 3 week period. Move toward filling the bottle ONLY with water. Here are a few more tips:

  • Have your infant finish their bottle before bedtime and nap time.
  • After each feeding, wipe your child’s teeth and gums with gauze or a washcloth.
  • If your child uses a pacifier, don’t dip it in sugar or honey.

Let Us Know If We Can Help

Need someone to talk to about this topic? Just need some moral support? Let us know. We’re happy to visit with you. You can also learn more about this important topic from this ADA webpage. Pass this information along to other parents! Thanks! We appreciate the trust you place in us.

Top image by Flickr user popofatticus used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

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