Mommies! Before Tooth Fairies, Watch Out for Tooth Caries!

By Lipi Singh - Updated: December 3, 2018

In this Article

What is Tooth Caries
So Here is a Checklist for Moms That Could Save a lot of Tooth Pain in Their Children

The phase of motherhood is highly unpredictable. As much as it is the most beautiful time in a woman’s life, it is a time that comes with thousands of lessons. In my case, I had a wonderful baby and a super supportive family but the issue I faced with my offspring cropped out of nowhere and became quite a tussle for me as a parent. If I ask you what is the most suitable replacement for breastfeeding for your baby, your answer ought to be the bottle. I thought about the same replacement but it led to umpteen visits to the dentist for my little one.

Imagine those difficult vaccination visits to the paediatrician, going to a dentist with an under 3-year-old is not a situation a parent wants to be put in. Anyway, as things got worse we headed to the nearest dentist who broke quite unexpected news. The first question she asked me was if my baby was bottle fed? Honestly, as a working mother who anyway lives with a guilt (which fluctuates as per days and situations), my heart skipped a beat. In a hushed tone, I said ‘yes’ and there was my first lesson as a mom I am never bound to forget. Pointing out the miserable state of my son’s teeth, the doctor said that my baby was suffering from ‘dental caries’. It is one of the most common yet most preventable many toddlers face today. When I interrupted her saying if chocolates and sweets could be the culprit, she persisted that it was bottle milk that had played the biggest role in ruining his teeth.

What is Tooth Caries

Teeth caries or early childhood caries (ECC) are also known as baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD). These are caused by frequent snacking or going to sleep with a bottle containing anything other than water.
The idea is not to let go off the bottle completely but not to let it stay in the child’s mouth after he/she falls asleep.

So Here is a Checklist for Moms That Could Save a lot of Tooth Pain in Their Children

Try to feed milk to the baby with a spoon rather than a bottle.
Remove the bottle when the baby falls asleep.
Hold your baby while feeding him/her.
Wipe your baby’s teeth with a damp cloth to avoid bacteria in the mouth.
Do not share spoons and forks with your baby as bacteria can enter through saliva.
Clean the pacifier every time before use.
Rinse their mouth every time after giving any syrup or sweet juices.
Colour coated sweets need to given only in moderation.

And with that I would like to leave with a little thought for the young mothers out there. Anything in moderation is the best that we can give our little ones. So why not make these small efforts for their brighter and bigger smiles.

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