Also called as “Nursing bottle caries” or Early childhood caries, this unique kind of tooth decay occurs in infants and children younger than 6 years of age. What is unique is the rampant rate of spread of this kind of decay and the usual association with incorrect method of feeding. This type of decay typically affects upper front teeth though other teeth may be affected too.
What causes BABY BOTTLE TOOTH DECAY?
The cause of this characteristic pattern of decay are sweetened liquids or those with natural sugars (like milk, formula, and fruit juice) being in prolonged contact with an infant’s teeth for a long time. Bacteria in the mouth grow rapidly on this sugar and make acids that attack the teeth and destroy it completely over time.
This can occur when the baby is put to bed with a bottle or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a fussy baby. Saliva flow is also less in the night thus the milk stays behind in the mouth and acts as food for the oral bacteria.
Ways to prevent Early childhood caries :
- Lift the lip and clean the gum pads with a clean cloth post a night feed
- Age- appropriate weaning
- Initiate brushing once the first tooth erupts!
- Visit your pediatric dental home for more in-office preventive methods
Fig 1 : Early childhood caries pattern
