Baby teeth are important.
• To Chew
• To Feel Good
• To Talk
• To Smile
What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?
Baby bottle tooth decay is a disease that destroys your baby's upper front teeth.
• It can start as soon as teeth come in.
• It can rot other teeth.
How Does this Happen?
Baby bottle tooth decay happens when sugar stays around the teeth. Sugar is in milk, formula, and juice as well as sweet drinks.
Sugar can rot teeth to black stubs if:
• Your baby falls asleep with the bottle.
• Your baby sips from a bottle all day.
Tooth decay can cause some of these problems:
• Long hours of crying.
• Painful toothaches.
• Infections in the mouth.
• Trouble chewing.
• Trouble speaking.
• Black teeth.
What Can You Do?
Decide while you are pregnant the best way to feed your baby and protect baby's teeth:
• Breastfeed your baby.
• Put your baby down to sleep without a bottle.
• Begin giving your baby a cup around 6 months of age.
• Wipe or brush teeth daily.
• Take care of your own teeth.
• Visit the dentist yourself.
How Can You Put Your Baby to Bed Without a Bottle?
Get in the habit of helping your baby fall asleep without a bottle. Hold your baby while feeding, then put your baby to bed without the bottle.
You may:
• Rub baby's back gently.
• Read to your baby.
• Rock your baby.
• Sing or play music.
• Give baby a clean pacifier.
• Give a favorite blanket or stuffed toy
How Do You Check Your Baby's Teeth?
Look at your baby's teeth each day as you clean them:
• Lay your baby's head on your lap and lift the upper lip.
• Look at the front and back of your baby's upper teeth.
• Look for white, brown, or black spots on baby's teeth.
What Should You Do ... If You Think Your Baby Has Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?
• Take your child to a pediatric dentist or your family dentist.
• If you don't have a dentist, call your local dental society.
• Call your local CHPD program at the County Health Department.
• If you have Medi-Cal, call (800) 322-6384.
• If you have Healthy Families, call your plan dentist.
Developed by California Department of Health Services, Children's Medical Services and Maternal and Child Health Branches with support from the U.S. Public Health Service, Region IX San Francisco, California, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Public Health Service. Brought to you by The California Children & Families Commission. Funded by Prop. 10. For more information please call (800) KIDS-025.
Give your child healthy foods and drinks for healthy teeth and gums. Baby teeth are important even through they will be lost.
Good Food for Healthy Teeth
Give your child healthy foods and drinks, for healthy teeth and gums. Baby teeth are important even though they will be lost.
They are needed for:
• Chewing.
• Speech.
• Looks.
They also hold space for straight and healthy permanent teeth.
Give your child a variety of foods from all the food groups. Have regular meal and snack times.
When your child is thirsty, offer water. One small serving of juice is enough every day. Sweet drinks like soda and sugar sweetened drinks in liquid or in powder form, and fruit punch are okay once in a while, but not every day.
Offer your child healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, cheese, yogurt, and cereal. Sweet foods like candies, cake, cookies, pastries, gelatin, donuts, and baby desserts are okay once in a while, but not every day
Brush your child's teeth after he or she eats these foods, which stick to the teeth:
• Crackers.
• Peanut butter.
• Soft bread.
• Fruit rolls.
• Jelly and jam.
• Syrup and honey.
• Raisins and dried fruit.
• Candy.
Healthy Teeth for Happy Smiles
Birth to 1 year
Wipe your baby's gums and teeth with a clean cloth daily. If you put your baby to bed with a bottle, use plain water. At age 6 months, ask your doctor or dentist about fluoride for your baby's teeth and teach your baby to drink from a cup.
1 to 2 year
By 12 to 15 months your child should not be drinking from a bottle. Gently brush your child's teeth with a soft, wet toothbrush using no toothpaste. Check your child's teeth. Start taking your child to a dentist at 1 year of age but take them sooner if you see white, gray, or brown spots.
2 to 3 year
Brush your child's teeth twice a day. Begin using a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste (smaller than a pea). Don't let your child eat toothpaste. Start teaching your child to brush his teeth. Take your child to the dentist at least once a year.
3 to 6 year
Help your child brush twice a day. Floss her teeth daily. Take your child to the dentist at least once a year.
6 year
Remind your child to brush his teeth twice a day and floss daily. Ask your child to brush after eating sweet or sticky foods. Take your child to the dentist at least once a year.
Protect Your Child's Teeth with Fluoride
Fluoride will help make your child's teeth strong and prevent tooth decay. Ask your dentist or doctor about giving your child fluoride drops or tablets.
Developed by Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Branch. California Department of Health Services. For more information about WIC, call (888) 942-9675. Brought to you by The California Children & Families Commission. Funded by Prop. 10. For more information please call (800) KIDS-025.
