Baby teeth fall out, but they still matter, and they can still get cavities. Tooth decay in babies and toddlers is often called baby bottle tooth decay, or early childhood caries.
Children need strong, healthy teeth to chew, to speak and to smile. Their first teeth also help the adult teeth come in correctly. Good care from the start protects their teeth for decades.
What causes it?
It most often affects the upper front teeth, but other teeth can be affected too. It has many causes. A common one is a baby’s teeth being in contact with sugary drinks often and for long stretches: when a baby is put to bed with a bottle, or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a fussy baby.
Decay can start with cavity-causing bacteria passing from the mother, or the main caregiver, to the baby in saliva. That happens when the parent puts the baby’s feeding spoon in their own mouth, or cleans a pacifier by mouth.
A baby or toddler who doesn’t get enough fluoride is also at higher risk. The good news is that decay can be prevented.
How to prevent it
- Don’t share saliva with your baby: use the baby’s own feeding spoon, and don’t lick a pacifier clean.
- After each feed, wipe your child’s gums with a clean, damp gauze pad or washcloth.
- When the teeth come in, brush them gently with a child-size toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice, until age 3.
- From age 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
- Watch your child brush until you can count on them to spit the toothpaste out rather than swallow it. That is usually not before age 6 or 7.
- Put only formula, milk or breast milk in bottles. Don’t fill them with sugar water, juice or soft drinks.
- Let your baby finish bedtime and nap-time bottles before going to bed.
- If your child uses a pacifier, give them a clean one. Don’t dip it in sugar or honey.
- Encourage your child to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
- Encourage healthy eating habits.
When your child’s first tooth appears, talk to us about their first dental visit. Starting early sets them up for a lifetime of healthy teeth.