Baby Bottle Tooth Decay – Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

If you wish to get knowledge about the disease called baby bottle tooth decay then you should read this article. First of all, you should make yourself aware of the meaning of this disease. Baby bottle tooth decay refers to a condition which is found in the children between the ages of 18 months to 3 years. In this disease, the tooth of the kids begins to decay as a result of giving them a milk bottle while sleeping. This results in prolonged exposure of baby’s teeth to the milk or juice.

The main cause of this disease is the exposure of teeth of children to sugars present in milk, juice and other sweet liquids; for a long period of time. When sugar stays on the tooth for a long time then it combine with the bacteria present in the mouth. It results in the formation of acids which destroy tooth enamel. Teeth present in upper front are at the maximum risk of baby bottle tooth decay.

Tooth decay is also called by the name of caries. You may find no symptoms of caries in the initial stages. A small scrap of demineralised enamel appears on the surface of the tooth at first. Only a dentist can figure out such a patch on the tooth surface. Teeth become sensitive to cold or hot in the advanced stages of tooth decay. Dentists use an instrument called explorer to spot this. When the cavity reaches the pulp stage, pain and swelling may appear. It suggests that a regular check up by the dentist is best for spotting this disease.

If we talk about the treatment of this disease then a lot of processes are there. In some of the cases, the cavities may be so extreme that the teeth of the children need to be pulled out. It is best to try those methods which are effective for the prevention of this disease. Parents should take care that the baby does not sleep while sucking milk or juice from the bottle. Water should be mixed with milk for weaning a baby between the ages of 12 to 18 months.