Suzanne Haeri DDS

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

The very bottle that gives your child the nutrients he or she needs to grow and thrive, whether you give your little one formula or breastmilk. Both contain sugar that can feed bacteria in your little one's mouth and cause decay. Fortunately, you can prevent baby bottle tooth decay in the future with some pediatric dental hygiene education. Not to mention, Our Los Angeles, California, pediatric dentistry specialist, Dr. Suzanne Haeri, can treat it. 


What's Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?


Baby bottle tooth decay is from any sugary substances given to your child in a baby bottle that come in contact with his or her teeth. This could be either breastmilk or formula, or it could stem from juice or soda, 


The sugary drink gets on your child's teeth, and it will feed any bacteria in his or her mouth. These bacteria will continue to multiply in your kid's mouth. And as they do, they're also releasing an acidic waste that's decaying the enamel on your child's teeth. 


Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay 


You can take steps to keep baby bottle decay at bay by never letting your child go to bed with a bottle in his or her mouth unless it has water in it only. Make sure you're wiping off your child's teeth with a clean washcloth or using a toothbrush, depending on his or her age. Do this at least twice per day as soon as your child's teeth come in. Once your little one has a tooth, schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentistry professional in Los Angeles, CA, to look for any problems and receive any education about pediatric dental hygiene to keep your little one's teeth healthy.  


It's best to only put water, formula, or breastmilk in a child's bottle.  


Treating Baby Bottle Tooth Decay


The treatment for this problem depends on the severity of your child's tooth decay. Sometimes, it's enough to use a fluoride treatment that encourages remineralization. This is only effective when a cavity is extremely small. 


Other larger cavities may need a filling or cap. This begins with the dentist removing any decay and then placing a material in the tooth to stop any future decay. The cap will cover the entire tooth. 


Teeth that have severe damage or have developed an infection may need to be pulled. This will stop the discomfort for your child and prevent the issues from worsening any further or spreading. 


Dr. Haeri helps patients with baby bottle tooth decay and will work with you to prevent it from happening again. Our Los Angeles, CA, dentist will provide an appropriate treatment as well as education. 


Contact us today at 310-657-2200. 

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