How to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

The field of pediatric dentistry involves treating children of all ages, and that includes babies. One of the biggest challenges that parents face is fighting off baby bottle tooth decay. Thankfully, pediatric dentistry has come up with a few ways to prevent this from occurring so that a baby’s growing teeth do not decay before they even form.
How to prevent baby bottle tooth decay
Maintaining a baby’s teeth will help to ensure that they have good oral health in the long term. Good oral health will then, in turn, ensure that baby bottle decay is prevented. There are a few ways that pediatric dentists recommend avoiding this. If a parent has a baby who loves their bottle, then this information will be helpful. As a parent, it is necessary to prevent baby bottle decay so that the child has healthy teeth in the future! Read on to find out everything that parents need to know about the prevention of baby bottle tooth decay.
Cleaning
One of the most important ways to ensure that baby bottle tooth decay is prevented is by simply cleaning the baby’s gums! When babies are still drinking bottles, it likely means that they do not have full-grown teeth yet. However, that is not to say that their teeth are not coming in. It is necessary to gently clean a baby’s mouth to ensure that nothing leftover from the bottle would harm the gums. If teeth have erupted, then pediatric dentists recommend using a baby’s toothbrush and a small amount of mild toothpaste to clean the surface on and around the teeth. Be sure to use a kind of toothpaste that does not contain fluoride as this could harm them.
Gentle massaging
Another thing that parents can do to help prevent baby bottle decay is to massage the gums gently. Pediatric dentists recommend using a warm washcloth or wet gauze, as these are both soft enough to stimulate the gums, while also cleansing them. Pediatric dentistry tends to focus on the growth of baby teeth which can be aided through gentle massaging. After having a bottle, this can help prevent decay while also stimulating teething.
Monitoring
Pediatric dentists also advise parents not to let the baby fall asleep with a bottle. It is very crucial to avoid letting them fall asleep with milk or juice bottles. It can also be helpful to avoid bottles while sleeping altogether. The sugars in the juice can cause bacteria buildup, which could lead to baby bottle tooth decay. Agents in milk can also be detrimental to a baby’s mouth too.
Learn more about pediatric dentistry
Want to know more about how pediatric dentistry recommends prevention of baby bottle tooth decay? Find out more by reaching out to your pediatric dentist’s office today. The pediatric dentist can work with you to ensure that your baby avoids decay. Give the office a call or stop in today!
Request an appointment here: https://www.grandparkwaypediatricdental.com or call Grand Parkway Pediatric Dental at (832) 579-0960 for an appointment in our Richmond office.
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