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(HealthDay News) -- Baby bottle decay occurs when a child's teeth -- most often the top front ones -- begin to decay when sugars from sweetened drinks or milk coat them.
This coating fosters acid-producing bacteria, which destroy the teeth.
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Here are suggestions to prevent baby bottle decay, courtesy of the American Dental Association:
- Wipe your child's gums with a soft cloth, or brush his teeth after every meal or feeding.
- Never send your child to bed with a bottle containing anything but water -- never milk, formula, or fruit juice.
- Let your child suck on a pacifier between feedings, but never one dipped in any sweet liquid.
- Don't give your child sweetened drinks in her bottle or sippy cup.
- If your water supply doesn't contain fluoride, ask your dentist about how to make sure your child gets enough.
- Make sure your child has regular visits with a dentist, starting no later than his first birthday.
-- Diana Kohnle
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