One form of serious tooth decay among infants and toddlers is called “baby bottle tooth decay”. This is caused by frequent exposure to liquids that contain sugar, including milk, breast milk, formula, fruit juice and other sweetened drinks. If a young child is put to bed for a nap or at nighttime with any drink other than water, it can cause rapid and devastating tooth decay. The sweetened, sugary liquids can pool around the child’s teeth giving the bacteria in plaque the sugar they need to make acid and causes tooth decay.
If feeding your baby at night, wipe the gums and teeth with a damp cloth, tooth wipe or toothbrush afterwards. During the day, for toddlers and older children using sippy cups, offer water only between meals and save other drinks for meal and snack time.
If you must give the baby a bottle as a comforter at bedtime, it should contain only water. If your child won’t fall asleep without the bottle and its usual beverage, gradually dilute the bottle’s contents with water over a period of two to three weeks.
