How To Prevent Bottle Decay?

Bottle cavities appear in children who use the bottle too much. They spend most of their time with their beaks in their mouths even when they’re not drinking anything. Contrary to what many mothers think, this malaise is not the reason why their children refuse food, show no appetite, make faces or even get goosebumps while eating. Despite this, it may be one of the reasons that most hinder good nutrition in the early stages when the child is starting to eat solid foods.

Oral health should be prioritized from childhood, as it has a direct influence on the child’s quality of life. It is essential that you encourage your child to adopt good eating habits and have proper oral hygiene from an early age.

What are baby bottle cavities?

Bottle decays are those that appear on baby teeth during the first years of the child, from the beginning of the teething stage.

This type of condition is directly related to bottle-feeding abuse, poor eating habits and lack of oral hygiene. Bottle decay can cause pain, extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods, or difficulty eating.

What steps should be taken to prevent bottle decay?

To prevent bottle decay, it is important to consider the following recommendations:

1. Don’t let your child get into the habit of using the bottle as a pacifier. The nipple of the bottle has the rubber impregnated with milk, juice or other beverages. If the baby has been in contact with these residues for a long time in the mouth, for example, if he sleeps with the bottle in his mouth, it can cause his first cavities to appear.
2. Avoid offering sweet foods. Do not have the bad habit of dipping the child’s pacifier in honey, jellies, condensed milk or other foods containing sugar as a tactic for the child to calm down in difficult times. In principle, the only problem with eating foods high in sugar is causing cavities. In the future, however, this preference for sweets could lead to diabetes, obesity and many other health problems.
3. Offer plenty of water. Water is the best medicine for the body. It will help eliminate any bacterial plaque that accumulates in the oral cavity.
4. Take your child to the dentist regularly. Even if it’s small, a general overhaul with a dentist never hurts. If you think your child may have cavities, it is essential that a specialist advises you more precisely on the necessary care.

Oral hygiene: the best method to prevent bottle decay

In addition to the measures we’ve already mentioned, the most effective method to prevent bottle decay is to maintain proper dental hygiene. This way the bacterial plaque that produces the decay will have no effect on the teeth.

We know that trying to get a child to follow an oral hygiene routine can be a difficult task. Despite this, it is your duty as a mother to check the child’s mouth frequently.

In case your child is very small and has almost no teeth, it is important that you clean the mouth, tongue and gums with a damp cloth. If teeth have already come in, use a soft-bristled toothbrush. If he still can’t brush these on his own, help him by always teaching him the moves. The child should brush their teeth  after every meal and especially before bedtime.

The lower teeth are brushed from the bottom to the top and the upper teeth from the top to the bottom. It is important to make this movement on both the inside and outside of the teeth. This technique protects the gums and allows the teeth to be properly cleaned.

In addition, it is recommended that children use toothpaste adapted for children’s use. Fluoride toothpastes help preserve tooth enamel. We always advise you to ask your dentist first because in some cases this type of toothpaste is subject to medical prescription.

Betting on good oral hygiene from childhood is to have a small guarantee that the child will never have cavities. If you help your child acquire this habit, you will soon see that he will start to fend for himself and will likely continue to maintain healthy habits throughout his life.