| Although the incidence of cavities has gone | | | | themselves off bottles; they are keen to |
| down in the United States overall, it has | | | | learn new things, especially when they see |
| gone up by 15.2 percent in children aged 2 to | | | | others around them doing it. Kids should be |
| 5 since 1988, according to a 2005 report by | | | | weaned off bottles at 12 to 14 months of age. |
| the Centers for Disease Control and | | | | |
| Prevention. The reason for this rise in | | | | Secondly, and most importantly, don't put |
| caries (tooth decay) is simple: more and | | | | your child to sleep with a bottle of formula |
| more, children are being exposed to sugary | | | | milk or some other sweet liquid. Instead, put |
| liquids such as milk, breast milk, formula, | | | | your child to bed with a bottle of water. |
| fruit juice and other sweet liquids for a | | | | Water inside city limits often contains |
| long period of time. | | | | fluoride, which has been shown to help |
| | | | prevent tooth decay and makes teeth strong. |
| The problem often occurs because parents give | | | | However, residents who live in rural areas |
| their children bottles to put them to sleep. | | | | rely on well water, which doesn't contain |
| It's all too easy to help your child off to | | | | fluoride. You should try to wean your child |
| sleep by leaving them to suck on a bottle of | | | | off night feeds; this isn't always easy but |
| formula milk or some other sugary liquid. But | | | | gently perseverance will win the day. |
| once the child is asleep, they stop feeding. | | | | |
| Instead the liquid stays in their mouth, | | | | Thirdly, it is never too early to start |
| coating gums and teeth with a warm sugary | | | | brushing your child's teeth. Infant |
| substance that is the ideal breeding ground | | | | toothbrushes are readily. You should only use |
| for bacteria. This phenomenon is often called | | | | water and never use fluoridated toothpaste |
| 'baby bottle tooth decay'. | | | | until age 2 or 3 unless your dentist says |
| | | | otherwise. Have your child brush after every |
| Children won't take responsibility for oral | | | | meal or snack and floss daily. |
| hygiene; it's up to parents. | | | | |
| | | | Bottle tooth decay is not a heredity disease |
| So, what can parents do to help their child | | | | and is totally preventable. But remember, |
| avoid baby bottle tooth decay? | | | | your child isn't going to take responsibility |
| | | | for their dental health, that's your job. |
| First off, monitor drinking habits: Drinking | | | | Sending your child off to sleep whilst |
| juice from a bottle or sippy cup should be | | | | sucking on a bottle of formula may seem to be |
| avoided to minimize prolonged sugar exposure. | | | | the easy option, but in the long run, you're |
| Instead, use a glass or cup to shorten | | | | just heading for more problems. |
| consumption time. Most children readily wean | | | | |