How to Prevent Baby-Bottle Mouth

Baby-bottle mouth typically occurs in a child's first two years. This is the time when teeth are the most vulnerable. Baby-bottle mouth is a result of a baby being permitted to fall asleep with a bottle or breast. Sugars in milk or juice will combine with the bacteria in her mouth and will lead to tooth decay. Saliva helps to dilute food and prevent these bacteria from lying on teeth. While a baby is sleeping, saliva production is decreased and teeth are at greater risk. Below are tips to help prevent baby-bottle mouth and tooth decay.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Avoid giving your baby sugar water. This applies even before your baby gets teeth. If she becomes used to the taste, it will be very difficult to wean her off sugar water when her teeth do come in. Do not give your baby fruit juices before bed. Dilute all juices that you do give her with 50 percent juice to 50 percent water.

2. Avoid giving your baby a bottle at nap time or bed time when his teeth come in. Making a habit of this is a sure way to cause tooth decay. If it has already become a habit and your baby will not got to sleep with out a bottle, give him a bottle with plain water.

3. Avoid using the bottle as a pacifier. Do not give your baby a bottle of milk or juice to suck on all day. Sipping on a bottle of juice or milk all day can be just as harmful as falling asleep with a bottle of milk or juice. Bottles should be considered a part of meal time and only given to a baby in that setting.

4. Avoid allowing a co-sleeping baby to nurse all night. If you sleep with your baby and your breastfeed, do not permit her to nurse off and on throughout the night. Breast milk can cause tooth decay if it is allowed to lie on your baby's teeth for long periods of time.

5. Wean your baby off of the bottle by the time he is twelve months old. This is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. To do this, start introducing your baby to a cup at about six months of age.

Tips & Warnings

• Try giving juices to your baby only in a cup. This way, he will not develop the habit of drinking juice out of his bottle.
• Wiping your baby's teeth and gums every day will help to prevent baby-bottle mouth.
• Sugars in milk and juice can coat your baby's teeth. Combined with bacteria, this can cause early tooth decay and gum disease.
• The upper front teeth are the most likely to be damaged from baby-bottle mouth
• If tooth decay is severe, your baby's teeth will have to be removed.
• If you see white spots on your baby's teeth, contact your child's doctor.

Resources

• Baby dental wipes
• American Academy of Pediatrics