with a damp washcloth or small soft toothbrush to remove plaque. Begin brushing your child's teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts.
Flossing should begin when all primary teeth have erupted, usually by age 2 or 2 1/2.
Never allow your child to fall asleep with a bottle containing a sweetened liquid.
If your child refuses to fall asleep without a bottle, simply fill it with water and nothing else.
If your local water supply does not contain enough decay-fighting fluoride, check with your dentist to see if your child should receive fluoride supplements.
Start dental visits between six and twelve months of age.
How serious is baby bottle tooth decay ?
Baby bottle tooth decay can cause painful
toothaches which can hinder eating. Severely decayed teeth can become infected and need to be extracted. If your child's teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may have some of these problems:
- Poor eating habits
- Speech problems
- Crooked teeth
- Damaged adult (permanent) teeth
- Yellow or brown adult (permanent) teeth
Keep your child happy and smiling by preventing baby bottle tooth decay.
