Bottle Tooth Decay (Baby Bottle Rot)

Our pediatric dentist, Dr. Geoffrey Gonzales, knows the importance of keeping baby teeth healthy. Often times, parents are unaware that the same things (like sugar) that cause decay in adult teeth do so in baby teeth as well. Even though children will eventually lose their baby teeth, keeping them healthy will help them to chew properly, speak and smile. Healthy baby teeth also allow for children's adult teeth to come in correctly.

Dr. Gonzales has seen several cases of children with bottle tooth decay or baby bottle rot, which often occurs in the front, upper teeth. This decay occurs when the teeth are exposed to sugary drinks (like milk) very frequently and for a prolonged period of time. Parents can prevent bottle tooth decay by avoiding giving their baby a bottle full of milk or other sugary drinks at night.

Once the child's teeth come in, be sure to brush them with a child-sized tooth brush and a pea-sized amount of fluoridated tooth paste. If the child's teeth are touching one another, help your child with flossing. There are fun floss colors and shapes to make flossing more fun!

Dr. Gonzales recommends that children should have their first dental appointment by the age of 1. Establishing good hygiene habits at a young age will help protect their teeth for years to come.