Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

As soon as your baby’s first teeth appear, she is susceptible to decay. This condition is often referred to as “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay" or "Early Childhood Caries.” In some unfortunate cases, infants and toddlers have experienced severe tooth decay that has resulted in dental restorations or extractions. The good news is that this decay is preventable.

What is “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?” Dr. Sarah and Dr. Kristen say that baby bottle decay is a condition that can destroy the primary teeth of an infant or young child. It occurs when young children’s teeth are exposed to sugary liquids for a long period of time. These liquids include milk (even breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened liquids.

Drs. Sarah and Kristen have had many parents say, “they are just baby teeth.” Yes, they are baby teeth, but they are very, very important teeth.

Humans have two sets of teeth just as all mammals do: primary (baby) teeth and permanent (adult). Some people think primary teeth are not important because they will eventually fall out. On the contrary, these small, primary teeth “hold” space in the jaw for the future permanent teeth. They help the child chew which is essential for a healthy diet. They help the child learn to pronounce words and give structure to the face.

By the time your child is born, twenty primary teeth usually have formed inside the gums. The front four teeth typically begin to appear when your baby is between the age of six months and one year. Most children have a set of twenty primary teeth by the time they are three years old.

Tooth decay can unfortunately begin as soon as the teeth emerge. It is the baby’s upper front teeth that are usually affected, but decay will damage other teeth, too.

Decay in the primary teeth can cause pain and also harm the permanent teeth that are still growing in the gums. Even though the permanent teeth are not visible to us until children are about six years of age, they begin to develop tooth enamel as early as three to four months after birth. Disease can spread to the hidden permanent teeth. Some decay can be associated with general health problems.

If primary teeth are lost prematurely, the emerging adult teeth may shift resulting in an irregular bite that could require additional treatment. If primary teeth are kept healthy until they are ready to fall out on their own, there is a better chance of the adult teeth erupting healthy in normal alignment.

What actually causes the tooth decay is a thin, sticky colorless film of bacteria called plaque. When plaque covers the teeth, bacteria produces acid that can attack the enamel on the teeth. When these sugary foods or liquids remain in the mouth after eating, the bacteria has time to produce the decay-causing acid.