It is estimated that approximately 75% of people have had their first cavity by the age of 5. The primary reasons for getting cavities at such a young age stems from baby bottle tooth decay, and not visiting the dentist at an early enough age. It is recommended that babies should be weaned off of bottles by the time they are 12 months of age – the same age that a child’s first visit to the dentist should occur.
Crying and unhappy babies can be extremely difficult to handle, and the easiest way to calm a crying baby can be to give the child a bottle. However, this can be detrimental to the child’s dental health if the bottle is filled with formula, milk, juices or sweetened water. All of these liquids are filled with sugars, which combine with bacteria in the mouth to produce acid that causes tooth decay. If children are allowed to fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth, they are bathing their teeth in these sugars and causing significant damage known as bottle-mouth syndrome.
Problems with tooth decay at an early age puts young patients at a far greater risk of developing more cavities in the future. Fillings are often not an option for children, because the teeth are small and still growing. Extracting teeth can cause more problems, such as misaligned teeth and trouble eating and speaking. In order to prevent baby bottle tooth decay, you should only fill bottles with plain water when they are falling asleep, and wean your child off of bottle by the age of 12 months.
Visiting the dentist at the first signs of any tooth decay can greatly increase your child’s dental health. Here are Brown Dental Arts, we are eager to care for your children and make sure they are given the highest quality of dental care. If you have any questions about the dental health of your child, we invite you to contact our friendly and helpful dental team at Brown Dental Arts today!