What is Baby Bottle Rot?

What is Baby Bottle Rot?

The type of decay that starts in the form of chalky, white spots on the surfaces of the upper anterior group teeth close to the gingiva and progresses in a short time is called early childhood caries or baby bottle decay among the people. If it is not noticed by the mother and father in time, we may encounter a picture that affects many teeth in a short time. The biggest cause of early childhood caries is improper diet. Both breast milk and cow’s milk contain sugar. Especially, milk given before going to bed or during sleep accumulates in the mouth and creates a suitable environment for microbes to decay teeth. Therefore, attention should be paid to the cleaning of the teeth, especially after night feeding.

How can I protect my child from bottle decay?

1. To get information about early diagnosis of baby bottle decay and what kind of precautions to take, take your baby to the pedodontist before the age of one.
2. Stop your baby’s habit of falling asleep with a bottle in his mouth at night.
3. After starting to erupt, clean your teeth with a clean cheesecloth (gauze) or a finger brush after feeding.
4.  If you cannot clean your baby’s teeth after feeding, be sure to drink water. .
5.  Do not add foods with high sugar content such as honey, jam and molasses to your baby’s milk in the bottle.
6. If you are using a pacifier, never immerse it in foods containing sugar.
7. Do not let your baby sleep with a bottle filled with carbohydrate liquid. It is okay to not only sleep with water.
8. Take your baby away from the bottle at the age of 12-14 months, after consulting with your doctor.
9. Do not allow your baby to use a bottle filled with any liquid other than water for relief throughout the day.
10. When your baby’s first tooth comes out, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible.
11. You should teach your baby to drink from the age of one. 12. You must make sure that your baby gets enough fluoride. If fluorine is not found in the drinking water in your city, you can consult your dentist about fluoride supplements.