Abstract
Do you let your baby sleep with a milk bottle in the mouth? This practice can result in a condition called nursing bottle caries. Read about the symptoms, causes, and ways to prevent this condition.
Contents
Published on Feb 22, 2015 and last reviewed on Nov 10, 2021 - 2 min read
Abstract
Do you let your baby sleep with a milk bottle in the mouth? This practice can result in a condition called nursing bottle caries. Read about the symptoms, causes, and ways to prevent this condition.
Nursing bottle caries is a type of tooth decay also known as early childhood caries/nursing bottle syndrome/rampant caries.
Nursing bottle caries is usually seen in toddlers and infants.
The lower milk teeth are not affected by nursing bottle caries because:
Attention to infants' oral health is highly essential. Educating the parents regarding the effects of early childhood caries and thereby preventing the tooth decay is important. The following steps are helpful in preventing nursing bottle caries:
Consult pedodontist online for early diagnosis of nursing bottle caries in your child
Read this article to prevent future dental problems in your child --->https://www.icliniq.com/health-articles/health-topics/dental-oral-health/dental-schedule-for-children-to-prevent-future-dental-problems
Nursing bottle caries can be prevented by:
Before tooth eruption, gently wipe the child's gums with a wet cloth after every bottle feed.
As the tooth erupts, begin to brush the baby’s tooth with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush for at least two minutes using back-and-forth scrubbing.
Start to wean the milk bottle from the child when they are around one year old.
Do not put the child to sleep with a milk bottle.
Bring the child to the dentist for early dental checks.
Give fluoride supplements.
Brush twice a day. Once in the morning, and once after the last food or milk feed, just before bedtime.
Babies who are bottle-fed are more susceptible to nursing bottle caries, as the bottle nipple often stays in the mouth for longer duration; the newly formed teeth get damaged as the milk can form a coating on the teeth and cause cavities. Pacifiers coated with milk or sugar can also cause nursing bottle caries.
Nursing bottle tooth decay is caused when a child goes to bed with a nursing bottle filled with juice or milk. This is also known as nursing caries or baby bottle caries. It often affects children between one and two years of age.
Suppose nursing bottle caries are detected in the beginning. In that case, it can be reversed with fluoride treatments, but as decay progresses, restorative dental treatment may be used to treat the cavities.
The distinguishing feature of nursing bottle caries is the decay on the upper front teeth. Tooth decay can appear as brown spots on the teeth. The children might experience swelling around the teeth and pain as the decay worsens.
The lower incisors (lower front teeth) are mildly affected or completely healthy in patients with nursing bottle caries.
Prolonged bottle feeding can make the top front teeth slant outward, and the lower front teeth slant inward. As a result, the palate may become narrower, and the alignment change may affect the child's chewing ability.
Extended bottle feeding is not recommended for babies because it causes dental caries and can lead to abnormal tooth alignment, affecting the child's dental development and feeding ability.
Bottle feeding for a prolonged period can cause an open jaw that can affect the child's speech. An open jaw makes it harder to pronounce certain sounds. Also, when the child has a pacifier in their mouth, it affects their vocal play because of restricted tongue movement leading to delayed speech development.
It is recommended to stop night bottle feeding from 12 months of age. By this period, babies get enough nutrients from the food they consume throughout the day.
It is recommended to stop night bottle feeding between 12 to 18 months of age. And it is advised to introduce a cup as early as six months of age.
The nursing bottle caries is a sign of neglect. Anyone taking care of the child should properly maintain tooth health and check for the early signs of tooth caries.
Nursing bottle caries develop when the child's teeth come into frequent contact with sugar. Bacteria present in the mouth feed on the sugar, multiply and produce acid that attacks the tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.
Last reviewed at:
10 Nov 2021 - 2 min read
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