Our Concord Pediatric Dentist Explains How to Prevent Bottle Rot
If you are a parent, you may have heard of bottle rot before, and are interested in learning more about it. In today’s post, our Concord pediatric dentist explains how to avoid causing baby bottle tooth decay, and what to do if you are concerned that your infant or toddler has developed cavities.
Primary Causes of Bottle Rot
Bottle rot is, essentially, tooth decay that is caused by exposing a toddler’s teeth to sugary beverages. Most cases of bottle rot are caused by one of two behaviors: putting the child to bed with a bottle in its mouth; or using sugary beverages as a behavior control mechanism (i.e. handing a child a sugary drink to keep him or her quiet.) Both of these behaviors expose the child’s delicate teeth to sugar for an extended period of time, resulting in cavities. Remember, since toddlers and young children have much less enamel than adults, it takes much less time for sugar-eating bacteria to destroy them.
The Importance of Caring for Primary Teeth
Many parents believe that there is no need to care for a child’s baby or primary teeth, because they will “eventually fall out anyway.” However, cavities can still be very harmful to children, even if the damaged teeth are eventually lost.
Firstly, a bacterial infection in the teeth can spread to the rest of the body, causing an illness that, in a worst-case scenario, is life-threatening. Secondly, having healthy baby teeth is crucial to ensuring that the permanent teeth grow in correctly. Allowing baby teeth to deteriorate from cavities will usually result in permanent teeth which require costly orthodontic treatment.
Finally, if cavities are left to progress, they will eventually reach the tooth’s sensitive inner pulp, causing your child extreme pain. Not only does no parent want their child to be in pain, but that pain and the invasive root canal necessary to treat it can result in a lifetime of dental anxiety or avoidance for the child, which can a self-perpetuating cycle of bad oral health, avoidance, more invasive procedures, and more avoidance.
Tips on Limiting Sugar Intake
All in all, it’s important to limit your toddler’s exposure to sugary drinks as much as possible. The best way to do this is to never start; a small child can’t miss what he or she has never had. If your child has already developed a liking for sugary beverages, try watering it down in order to dilute the sugar.
In addition, don’t be fooled by pictures and claims on packages of fruit juice—even natural fruit juices are extremely high in sugar. Finally, never put your child to bed with a bottle of juice. Aside from causing bottle rot, this is also presents a choking hazard.
Take Care of Your Child’s Teeth with Our Concord NC Pediatric Dentist
If you’d like your child’s teeth to grow in perfectly and remain healthy and strong, make sure to bring him or him in for an appointment with our pediatric dentist in Concord. Even if your child only has one or two teeth, an early dentist appointment can help us keep tabs on his or her oral health, and establish a familiarity with the dentist’s office that will come in handy if he or she ever develops a painful dental issue or experiences a dental emergency. To schedule an appointment, please click here!