Tooth Decay in Babies... It Really Happens!

Every parent has been there: It's 11PM and for the 3rd night in a row your baby just won't settled down, won't stop crying. You ask yourself over and over what you could do to help him go to sleep. You may consider putting a bottle of formula or the sippy cup of milk in the bed just to get him to stop crying, just once. Then twice. And before you know it, you've gotten yourself into a serious routine. Those routines are difficult to break, as every parent knows well. However, did you know that putting your baby or toddler to bed while sipping milk or juice can greatly affect his/her teeth?

Tooth decay in infants is often called baby bottle decay.  Juices and even milk have sugars that can collect around the teeth, allowing bacteria to feed on the sugar while the baby is sleeping. When a baby is put to bed with a bottle or allowed to have a bottle or cup of juice throughout the day or night, it can allow this bacteria to go to work in the mouth, eventually forming decay. Decay can form even on the youngest children with the newest teeth. Spots may start to appear on the front teeth, either yellow or darker in color and usually do not cause any pain to your child initially.

Tooth decay in infants and adults is caused by bacteria in the mouth.  This bacteria uses the sugar in foods we eat to produce acid which in turn breaks down the hard tooth surface.  The bacteria is normally passed from the primary care giver to the infant, so it is important to take steps to prevent this transmission.  A common practice of many parents is to clean a dropped pacifier in their own mouth before giving it back to the child.  This is a common way the bacteria is passed to the infant and can also pass other germs.  In addition, it is not a good idea to dip the pacifier in honey or any other sugary food or drink.

Your baby's teeth are important for many reasons.  Besides chewing and smiling, it is important to maintain the baby teeth until it is time for their permanent replacements.  If lost early, spaces can close and lead to crowding and eruption problems in the permanent teeth.  The baby teeth are also important for development of speaking skills.  If you are concerned about your child’s teeth, at any age, I recommend contacting your dentist for a consultation. You may want to talk to your pediatrician about other options to soothe your baby when he/she is fussy, but I personally recommend water instead of juice for between meal drinks. In the futre, I will discuss more topics concerning infants, toddlers, and children, including the first dental visit, pacifiers, and thumb sucking habits.