Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
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Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Think that just by having your infant avoid sweets and by making sure they're adequately covered by your family dental plan that their teeth are in the clear? Not so!
Baby bottle tooth decay is the only severe dental disease common in children less than three years of age. It is caused by leaving a milk or juice bottle in your baby's mouth after they have gone to sleep. Tooth decay is caused by the interaction of bacteria and carbohydrates to produce acid, which breaks down tooth enamel. Normally, saliva helps digest sugars and other carbohydrates before the bacteria can get to much of it, but saliva production decreases significantly after sleeping, leaving your baby's teeth more vulnerable to a few drips of milk or juice sitting in their mouth.
By removing the bottle from your baby's mouth after nap time has started or, even better, by finishing a bottle before nap time, you can significantly reduce the risk of baby bottle tooth decay for your infant.
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| Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |
