Baby Teeth Tooth Decay | Dental Treatment Guide

What are the long term consequences of tooth decay?

Children’s baby teeth stay in their mouths even after babyhood. They could even stay there when they reach their teens. It is important to keep the baby teeth healthy so you should make it a point to stop tooth decay as soon as you see it. If your child’s baby teeth have tooth decay then they may have trouble sleeping, eating, and speaking. It is also very painful. If your baby teeth are removed or if they are lost too early then the other teeth may move into that space. This may cause your adult teeth to erupt into the mouth in a crooked way. It may also lead to crowded teeth.

How do you prevent tooth decay?

Tooth decay can be prevented if you make it a point to keep your mouth healthy all the time. You should eat properly, brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and visit your dentist twice a year. Here are some of the things that you can do in order to prevent your children from getting cavities

• you should not allow your child to have a sippy cup or a baby bottle that has anything besides water
• if your child has a baby bottle or a pacifier then you should fill it with water instead of juice or milk
• if you are breastfeeding or using a bottle then you should wipe the gums of your baby with a gauze pad or a damp washcloth two times a day
• if you got cavities before then you should take care of sharing the bacteria in your mouth with your child. The bacteria that cause early childhood caries are usually passed on from the mothers to their children. It can happen several ways. For instance, you might taste the food of your child with a spoon that you used to feed your child or you may let your child suck on their finger after you put it in your mouth
• you should make sure that your local water has the right amount of fluoride because it will help in preventing tooth decay. If your water does not have fluoride in it then you should ask your dentist or your paediatrician on ways to provide fluoride for them

Further Information about Pacifiers & Baby Bottles

• Pacifiers and baby bottles
• Can pacifiers be a problem for baby teeth?
• Can baby bottles be a problem for baby teeth?
• Baby teeth tooth decay