Infants often show signs of tooth exposure around 6 months of age. When this occurs, the newly exposed teeth are susceptible to all the forms of tooth decay as any normal teeth are. To protect the teeth, we must then care for them as we would any other teeth. Additionally, we can monitor what items enter an infant’s mouth that could be potentially dangerous. Here are some tips for stopping tooth decay in infants and toddlers:
– Do not leave a bottle in the baby’s mouth during nap time.
– Avoid contaminating anything the baby uses for his/her mouth. Do not share food utensils or pacifiers.
– Do not dip the child’s pacifier in sweet substances such as honey or sugar.
– If the baby has any teeth that have broken through the gumline, use toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Slowly brush their teeth with a child-sized toothbrush and an amount of toothpaste roughly the size of a grain of rice.
– Be careful what you put into drinking bottles for babies. Focus on using only formula, milk, or breast milk in the bottles. Do not use liquids such as sugar water, juice, soft drinks, or energy drinks.
Baby bottle tooth decay is preventable if you take the necessary steps to protect your little ones. If you have not made time for your dentist at [practice_name], and would like to make an appointment with Dr. [doctor_name], please contact us today. We can be reached at [phone] or by stopping by our office in [city], [state]. Let us help you take charge of you and your child’s future with a healthy smile.
