Wanting something can be as bad as getting it
The worst jobs for us, as dentist’s and hygienists, are the ones we have to do on babies teeth. These are unfortunately common and heartbreaking. Can you imagine an infant having a tooth pulled? It’s the kind of situation that makes you wish you could trade places with them in the chair! The worst part is, it’s Completely Avoidable!
Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by:
- Sugary drinks
- Sugary pacifiers
- Candy
- Sharing
- Improper brushing habits
- Guilt
Bottles & Sippy Cups
Parents are bombarded by innumerable things every day, and making sure that their babies eat and drink healthily sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. When a baby needs a drink, sometimes you have to go with what’s on hand, clear juices, colored juices, flavored water, milk, etc. Unfortunately, all of these options have sugar in them. Sugar mixed with bacteria starts causing decay.
Pacifiers
Sucking is a comforting action for babies, before and after they are weaned. Unfortunately, sucking pacifiers, thumbs and other “comforting” sucking habits are bad for children’s teeth. Not only does the object move baby teeth out of their natural placement, they often fall on the floor, or otherwise dirty. Other times, parents may dip the pacifier in sugar or honey to appease their baby; both of these situations can lead to tooth decay. The worst thing a parent can do with a pacifier is clean it off in their mouth before giving it to their baby, that transfers bacteria the babies mouths aren’t ready to defend against, and accelerates decay. The best thing a parent can do is wean the baby off of their need for a pacifier, thumb, etc.
Sharing
Sharing is a good skill to teach our kids, behaviorally, but it isn’t good for their mouths, developmentally. Like I mentioned above, adult and child saliva has bacteria that babies can’t cope with. Sharing spoons, straws, or otherwise sharing saliva increases the rate of tooth decay in their cute little mouths.
Brushing
As soon as the first tiny tooth appears, babies need to have their teeth brushed. Start with a wet brush, and work up to small amounts of fluoride toothpaste, as the baby becomes a toddler.
Fluoride is dangerous to babies if swallowed, so it needs to be kept safely out of reach.
Babies teeth need to be brushed twice daily, just like adult teeth.
Don’t Feel Bad
Babies quickly learn that salts and sugars are more fun to eat that fruits and vegetables. They fight and scream and cry and act like an addict going through withdrawals when they don’t get the sweet and savory fix they want. Sometimes it works and we give in, but every time parents know that they shouldn’t give it to them.
If your baby does get to indulge, every once in a while, in any of the above risks, you have a window of opportunity to correct the problem, each time.
Make sure your babies are drinking mostly water, from the time their first tooth comes in. Water is a solvent and can neutralize some of the sugars, bacteria, acids and bases in the foods and drinks kids get. Anything else may just be adding to the problem.
- Wein your baby off of their bottle and or pacifier.
- Limit the sweet drinks, foods, and treats that your baby ingests.
- Brush twice a day every day, even if the baby hates it; it doesn’t compare with having their new little teeth pulled.
- A quick easy check you can perform: if your baby has bad breath, they need water and to have their teeth brushed.
If you are worried about your babies teeth, we can help with prevention and correction. The earlier we know the condition of your babies teeth, the better off they will be.
Give us a call.
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