What is baby bottle tooth decay and how can it be avoided? Baby bottle tooth decay is an oral health care condition in infants caused by excessive exposure to sugar and other harmful ingredients, typically via the use of a baby bottle. If left treated, baby bottle tooth decay can damage a young child’s teeth and possibly cause them oral ailments for many years down the road.

Never allow a child to drink exceedingly sugary substances. This includes sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juice with extra sugar. Also, never cover the top of a bottle with a sweet substance like honey, even if you do it solely for the purpose of training your child to like their bottle.

If you child is at least 6 months old, at least one tooth should be above the gum line, as that is the time a child’s teeth begin erupting. If any teeth are seen, they should be cared for until they at least six years old when the child has shown they can do their daily oral health care tasks effectively on their own. Until then, the task falls on your shoulders to use brush their teeth at least twice per day.

To prevent baby bottle tooth decay, make sure you are following the proper treatment techniques for a healthy smile that can last a lifetime. If you would like Dr. Nieku Manshadi and our team at Route 32 Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics to bring you in for an oral exam or professional cleaning, please contact our dentist office in Waco, Texas, by calling us at 254.655.6554. We will get you back to smiling once more!