Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Treatments

Baby bottle tooth decay can happen when babies are allowed to drink from a bottle for a prolonged period of time.

Baby bottle tooth decay treatments.

Baby bottle tooth decay may affect any or all of the teeth but is most prevalent in the front teeth on the upper jaw. Cavities develop in the teeth from the plaque in the baby s mouth making acids after digesting the milk in the bottle. The best approach to tackling baby bottle tooth decay is prevention. This most commonly occurs when babies are given bottles just before naptime or bedtime and they eventually fall asleep with the bottle still in their mouths.

The treatment procedures are as follows. Cut down on sugar consumption by your child particularly before bedtime or a nap and clean their teeth daily preferably after each feeding session. Place only formula milk or breast milk in bottles. In root canal therapy the pulp of the tooth including the nerve and vascular tissues is removed along with decayed portions of the tooth.

Infants should finish their bedtime and nap time bottles before going to bed. Depending on the extent of the cavities the teeth may be treated with fillings or crowns. Avoid filling the bottle with liquids such as sugar water juice or soft drinks. If baby bottle tooth decay occurs in your baby visit a children s pediatric dentist immediately for dental advice and treatment.

The baby bottle tooth decay treatment is started as soon as the pediatric dentist notices the symptoms in your baby s teeth. At the earliest signs of a problem you and your child s dentist can work together to formulate an approach to management and treatment. Severely decayed teeth may need to be removed. The baby teeth discolor and give an unsightly appearance to your child s smile decreasing a child s self esteem.

Left undiagnosed baby bottle decay can lead to the loss of teeth. If baby bottle tooth decay becomes too severe the pediatric dentist may be unable to save the affected tooth. Baby bottle tooth decay can possibly give rise to problems with facial development as well. Endodontic therapy also known as a root canal is recommended if the pulp in a tooth dies from infection by decay causing bacteria or from trauma.

When white spots are seen the dentist uses a fluoride varnish to remineralize all the teeth. Severely decayed teeth may need to be removed. Deep dental decay can lead to dental abscesses and infection requiring long treatment time.