Bottles
Many parents do not realize that unrestricted use of a bottle can lead to a serious dental condition known as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is a specific kind of tooth decay and can be prevented by not giving your baby a bottle when lying down for a nap or for bedtime. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay occurs when baby’s teeth are not properly tended to (brushed and flossed), and sugars attach to their teeth over an extended period (typically from excessive amounts of juice and/or milk in between meals and when the baby is put down for a nap) causing plaque build-up in the child’s mouth.The suggested ways to keep your baby protected from getting Baby Bottle Tooth Decay are as follows:
- If you feel you must give them a bottle to keep during nap time, fill the bottle with water instead of milk or juice.
- Giving them water in between meals instead of milk or juice
- Make sure that your whole family has good dental health habits, as this reduces any risk of tooth decay or bacteria being transferred to your child
Around the age of one, you should try to wean your baby off a bottle and encourage them to try to drink from a cup.
Pacifiers and Thumbsucking
Before the age of two or three many children habitually use a pacifier or thumbsucking as a way to soothe themselves. This is a natural process and not something you should be overly concerned about until your child reaches the age of three. We do recommend if your child continues to use a pacifier or suck his/her thumb beyond the age of 3 to consult your dentist, as excessive or prolonged sucking can lead to malformation of the child’s mouth, can cause speech impediments, and can cause crowding, crooked teeth, and bite problems.
One way to try to help your child stop sucking on their thumbs or using a pacifier would be to try and limit times and places when the child is allowed to do so. Another way to help your child to stop would be to offer praise and small rewards when the child does not suck on their thumb/pacifier. Additionally, some parents have had success with weaning their child off of thumbsucking by placing socks on the child’s hands at night.